In November, the Sullivan Correctional facility in Woodbourne will face closure after being placed on the chopping block as a result of New York State’s adjusted 2024-2025 budget. The boarding up of this facility would mark the end of a storied part of the history of law enforcement in the county.

Sullivan County District Attorney Brian Conaty, who has since invited Governor Kathy Hochul to visit in the interest of retaining the facilities operations, said, “This abrupt decision raises more questions than it answers and will undoubtedly upend the public safety, economy, and lives of those that bravely served this County.”

The DA’s worries are warranted, with the county’s law enforcement authorities already giving their all for the interest of peace and safety for the residents of the 15 towns and 6 villages.

Low staffing, which is an issue impacting thousands of businesses nation-wide, was suggested to be a cause of the closure of 5 of the 44 prisons around the state. There are many reasons as to why these Correctional Officer (CO) roles remained unfulfilled. One may be the ‘catch and release’ cashless bail reform remaining the status quo throughout New York state. It is not only discouraging for law enforcement to deal with his new law, but inhibitive to their work. Sullivan Correctional’s closing  just seems to add insult to injury to the many harms that this policy may have had on this decision.

The DA isn’t the only local official who is putting up resistence for the closure either. New York State Senator Peter Oberacker (NY-52) called for town officials and law enforcement to join him in denouncing the shuttering of the prison, as well as highlight the fact that four months is not long enough of a warning for what is to come.

With the invitation to the Governor still fresh off the DA’s desk, we hope the extended hand is accepted with as great of an interest that this topic deserves. Our law enforcement community deserves better. Our law abiding citizens deserve better.