TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Rensselaer County’s top law enforcement officer is stepping down after decades of service to the county. Sheriff Patrick Russo is hanging up his holster and his badge for the final time after 48 years of law enforcement service.
Friends, family, and government officials came out to show their support for a man who never thought he would spend nearly five decades protecting and serving.
“It actually started when I had been working for Niagara Mohawk and they had a couple of layoffs, and I wasn't sure if they were going to do another one," said Russo. "I had taken the police exam and I had some interest in becoming an officer and that's just the way it started.
Sheriff Russo began his career with the Troy Police Department in the narcotics unit. He says what he learned on the force was instrumental in creating the Sheriff’s narcotic team. “When I came down here originally as the undersheriff, there were not a lot of narcotic investigations here. So, we built up the unit today, I'm very proud of that unit. They’re a hard-working unit and they're making a lot of good arrests,” said Russo.
He says he is most proud of the school resource officer program getting officers in every school in the county. “That's probably the most important. You can't put a price tag on having an officer in schools these days,” said Russo.
Russo tells NEWS10 that one of the most enjoyable parts of policing for him was being out in the community. “When I first came on the job, you're dealing mostly with locals, and we would drive around in the patrol car. If we saw kids playing basketball we would stop, throw our gun belts in the trunk, and spend 10 - 15 minutes with them,” said Russo.
Russo knew right after he won his second term as sheriff that it would be his last. He has some advice for the new Sheriff coming to town, “I'm going to say don't be afraid of the media. Get out there in the public as much as you can. Get out there in the public. And, keep your finger on the pulse of what's going on out there,” said Russo. He went on to say, “The sheriff is the People's Lawman because the sheriff does not work for the governor, the mayor, or the county executive. The sheriff works for the people who elected him.”
For Russo’s next steps, he says he plans to simply relax at home, for now. “You know I don't want to jump into anything. I've had people call me and I've said I've got a three-bay garage and it's all full of junk. And it's going to take me months to clean it out so when the weather is better that's what I'm going to start doing,” said Russo.
Sheriff-Elect Kyle Bourgault will officially be sworn in on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
