Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta seeks second term in rematch with Bernie Rivers
Arteta highlights public safety programs launched during his first term as voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday.
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Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta says he has more work to do and is hoping voters give him another four years in office.
The Republican incumbent is facing Democratic challenger Bernie Rivers, a retired state law enforcement director who also ran against Arteta in 2022.
During an interview with News 12 on Monday, Arteta highlighted several public safety initiatives his office has launched during his first term, including a 24/7 emergency medical response program that puts deputies certified as EMTs on patrol to help reduce response times and potentially save lives.
Arteta also pointed to increased traffic enforcement targeting speeding drivers and unsafe commercial trucks, along with efforts to combat domestic violence and illegal drugs and guns.
Other initiatives include the Blue Envelope Program, designed to help law enforcement communicate with people on the autism spectrum, and a new Law Enforcement Associate Program that gives young adults an opportunity to begin careers in law enforcement.
The program allows participants to work in civilian support positions while pursuing educational opportunities that could eventually help them become deputy sheriffs.
“I still have a lot of gas in my tank,” Arteta said. “We have so many new programs that we want to keep doing for the county residents, and we just want to keep making the county safer.”
Rivers, who previously served as director of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Law Enforcement, is campaigning on a platform of greater accountability, transparency and community involvement.
His campaign also emphasizes modernizing the Sheriff’s Office and focusing public safety resources on local needs.
Rivers declined News 12’s request for an interview.
The two candidates previously faced each other in the 2022 election, which Arteta won.
