Oneida Indian Nation to build new emergency operations center

VERONA, N.Y. — Federal, state, and local law-enforcement officials recognized the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department on Thursday for 30 years of service as it announced it will soon break ground on a new emergency operations center.

Officials representing the offices of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, Oneida County District Attorney, Madison County District Attorney, New York State Police, and the Oneida and Madison County sheriff’s departments were among those that honored the department for its three decades of service.

“For 30 years, the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department has worked tirelessly to build partnerships, embrace constant improvement, and deliver unwavering commitment to the Oneida people and the region as a whole,” Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said in a press release.

The new emergency operations center will serve as a centralized command center for responding to natural disasters, regional crises, or other emergencies and will provide additional support for interagency collaboration during emergency situations.

“With the building of the new emergency operations center, the continued training and strengthening of the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, safer times are ahead,” New York State Police Troop D Commander Captain Jason Place said.

Established in 1993, the department is a professionally trained agency. For the last 25 years, it has earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. It is one of only eight police departments in the state to earn the distinction and the only tribal nation police department in the United States to do so.

Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol and Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood commended the department for its partnership with the two counties. Following the 2013 agreement between the Oneida Indian Nation, the state, and the two counties, Oneida Indian Nation police officers are deputized by the two counties. This has increased public safety and on-duty officer availability in the region.

“The key to success in keeping our men and women safe and keeping our communities and our people safe is cooperation,” Maciol said.

“Working with the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department has been nothing but beneficial to the residents of Madison and Oneida counties, and I am very proud of that,” Hood added.