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About Our Sheriff
Sheriff Gary T. Maha started his law enforcement career as a civilian dispatcher/teletype operator with the New York State Police in Batavia, New York in 1966. In 1967 he was appointed a Deputy Sheriff with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, and after two short years, he was appointed Senior Investigator, and was placed in command of the Investigative Section. In 1977, he was promoted to Chief Deputy, third in command of the Sheriff's Office and placed in command of the Criminal Division. In January 1988, he was appointed Interim Sheriff of Genesee County and was subsequently duly elected in November 1988. He has since been re-elected to six successive four-year terms.
Sheriff Maha is a 1972 graduate of the 91st session of the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He holds an Associates Degree in Police Science from Genesee Community College and a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Empire State College, State University of New York. He is a 1995 graduate of the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (L.E.E.D.S.), and has attended numerous law enforcement courses and seminars.
Sheriff Maha is a Past President of the New York State Sheriffs' Association and Vice Chair of the Criminal Justice Information Services Committee for the National Sheriffs' Association. In 1998 Sheriff Maha was appointed by former Governor George Pataki as a member of the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Council and in 2000, he was appointed a member of the New York State 9-1-1 Board. Sheriff Maha also serves as a member of the New York State Executive Committee on Counter Terrorism and is Co-chair of New York State Counter Terrorism Zone 10 (Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston Counties). He is Chairman of the Genesee County Traffic Safety Board and a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Club of Batavia. Sheriff Maha also serves his community as a member of the Genesee Community College Ventures Committee and as a member of the Genesee Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. In 2008, Sheriff Maha was named to the Genesee Community College Alumni Hall of Fame, and received the 2008 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Iroquois Trail Council, Boys Scouts of America. He is a member of the Genesee County Magistrates' Association; the National Sheriffs' Association; the F.B.I. National Academy Associates; the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, the American Correctional Association and serves on numerous local boards and committees. Sheriff Maha and his wife, Susan, have two daughters, Kelly who serves in the United States Marine Corp, and Catharine, who resides in Batavia.
Sheriff's Message
Remind children to never enter a stranger's car or house, never accept money or gifts from strangers, and never let a stranger touch them or join them in play.
Children should play in groups–never alone–and never in a vacant building or alley. They should always take a friend along when going to a public place.
Ask your children to always tell you about any unusual actions of any grown up they encounter. Have them take notice of playmates they see getting into a stranger's car, and ask them to get the license number of any stranger's car who tries to bother them or their friends.
As parents, know the character of the adults who become friendly with your children. Know the background of babysitters or anyone who has charge of your children in your absence.
Remember to report any incidents to law enforcement officials immediately. The most important thing for children to know is that there are certain people that they can depend on, such as parents, law enforcement officers, and teachers.
The Sheriff's Office is concerned about the safety of all children, says Sheriff Maha. "Please report any unusual happenings that your children might be involved in. The Sheriff's Office is here to help."
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