New Chief Deputy of the Oneida County Child Advocacy…

New Chief Deputy of the Oneida County Child Advocacy Announced

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol announced the appointment today of Derek A. O’Meara as Chief Deputy of Task Force Operations, which is a position that oversees the Oneida Child Advocacy Center. O’Meara has been employed part time with the Sheriff’s Office for the past two years assigned to the Criminal Investigation Unit and was responsible for conducting the background investigations of future employees of the Sheriff’s Office. Prior to that, O’Meara spent 32 years with the New York State Police serving as a Trooper, Investigator, and Senior Investigator within the NYSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center is a multi-jurisdictional, multi -agency office that investigates sexual crimes against children under the age of 17. The CAC is also responsible for monitoring registered sex offenders throughout the county with the exception of the cities of Utica and Rome. In addition to law enforcement personnel from the Sheriff’s Office, Utica Police, Rome Police, and the New York State Police, the CAC is also staffed by Oneida County Child Protective Service Caseworkers, advocates from the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley, and counselors from the both the Neighborhood Center & the Center for Family Life and Recovery. The CAC also has medical staff on call twenty-four hours a day.

Oversight of the Child Advocacy Center is through a cooperative partnership between Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr., Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, and Oneida County Department of Social Services Commissioner Colleen Fahy-Box.

“Derek O’Meara has an extensive and impressive background in various aspects of law enforcement and will make an excellent Chief Deputy of Task Force Operations,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center plays a crucial role in protecting the children of this community and supporting young victims and their families. The qualities that Chief O’Meara has displayed during his time with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police will serve him well, and we are lucky to have someone of such caliber in this important position.”

“I believe Derek “Rick” O’Meara is an excellent choice for this position. I have worked with Rick on numerous cases over my career and have found him to be very professional and hardworking. These traits will serve him well in his new capacity in our law enforcement community”, said Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara.

O’Meara replaces Michael Purdy as Chief Deputy. Purdy left in late 2018 to pursue other opportunities.