APALACHIN \u2014 Shawn Nalepa, a lifelong public servant with nearly 30 years of experience in local law enforcement, formally announced his candidacy as a Republican for Tioga County Sheriff in the 2027 election. Nalepa was joined by dozens of family, supporters, and local officials as he made the announcement at the Blue Dolphin Restaurant in Apalachin on Aug. 13. The position is currently held by Sheriff Gary Howard, who recently announced his retirement at the end of 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m ready to launch this campaign because we need strong, experienced leadership to keep the Sheriff\u2019s Office moving forward while innovating for the future,\u201d Nalepa said. \u201cI know the challenges our communities face. I\u2019ll bring my proven skills and lifetime of service to keep you and your family safe.\u201d
\nNalepa served for nearly 27 years with the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office in multiple roles throughout the agency, starting as a part-time Corrections Officer and eventually rising to the rank of Captain of Operations where he supervised over one hundred county employees, was in command of the Road Patrol, Corrections, Criminal Investigations, E-911 and Civil, provided fiscal oversight and more.<\/p>\n
Nalepa currently serves as the Training Director of the Corrections Divisions within the Broome County Sheriff\u2019s Office. He received his law enforcement training from their Corrections & Police Academies and later attended the FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership Institute.<\/p>\n
Nalepa\u2019s strong community roots and leadership extend beyond law enforcement as a Board Member with the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce and Tioga County Community Services Board, and volunteer with the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Regional Council, Knights of Columbus, Parrish Council, Special Olympics and Lions Camp Badger.<\/p>\n
Nalepa is also a proud Member of the Tioga County Republican Committee where he has helped elect Republicans and champion Republican Conservative values across the county.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m running for Tioga County Sheriff because our community deserves top public safety services to keep our residents safe,\u201d said Nalepa. \u201cThe Sheriff\u2019s Office is on the front lines every day preventing and responding to criminal activity so families, young professionals and retirees can live, work and thrive in our wonderful area. I\u2019m ready to fight for every resident in Tioga County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nalepa is a Republican, attended Broome County Community College, and lives in Apalachin with his wife, Maria. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 2027, and the General Election is November 2, 2027.<\/p>\n
Nalepa\u2019s candidacy has been endorsed by a wide range of community leaders, elected officials and current and former local law enforcement professionals:<\/p>\n
Tioga County Sheriff Gary Howard said, \u201cWith almost 50 years of law enforcement experience, I understand what an effective Sheriff requires. A mix of leadership, law enforcement experience, administrative ability, attention to detail and strong character. Shawn Nalepa possesses those qualities and will take the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office into the future. I fully endorse Shawn Nalepa in the upcoming election as the next Sheriff of Tioga County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Village of Owego Mayor Mike Baratta said, \u201cAs Mayor of the Village of Owego, I am proud to offer my wholehearted support for Shawn Nalepa in his campaign for Tioga County Sheriff. Throughout his career, Shawn has demonstrated the integrity, professionalism, and dedication that our community deserves in its law enforcement leadership. He has earned the respect of those he serves and works alongside through his commitment to public safety, accountability, and treating every person with fairness and respect. The Sheriff plays a vital role in protecting our families, supporting our local law enforcement agencies, and ensuring that our communities remain safe places to live, work, and raise our children. I am confident that Shawn Nalepa has the experience, character, and leadership necessary to meet those responsibilities with honor. I encourage the residents of Tioga County to join me in supporting Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff. I am confident he will serve our county with distinction and make us all proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County Sheriff Roger Besser said, \u201cAfter reading over your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and knowing that Gary Howard will be endorsing you, I am happy to be on your list of endorsements. The Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office has gone a long way since I was elected in 1988. I\u2019m happy to see the department continue in the coming years under your leadership. God bless, and I look forward to your election.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County Legislature Chairwoman Marte Sauerbrey said, \u201cI wholeheartedly support Shawn Nalepa for the position of Tioga County Sheriff. With 30 years of experience working for New York State Senate and Tioga County Legislature I have learned and experienced how important good leadership is. Shawn Nalepa will make an excellent Sheriff for Tioga County and here\u2019s why: He is experienced in law enforcement; he understands the importance of good leadership. Shawn is organized and disciplined and he is dedicated to serving and protecting our community. I am confident that Shawn Nalepa should be our next Tioga County Sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Owego Police Department Chief Karen Vinti said, \u201cI am proud to offer my full endorsement of Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff. I have known Shawn for well over 25 years, beginning during my career with the Owego Police Department. I had the opportunity to work with him throughout his career with the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office, first as a Deputy and Investigator and later as he advanced into supervisory positions. Shawn\u2019s experience as a Deputy, Investigator, Sergeant, and Patrol Lieutenant has provided him with a broad understanding of law enforcement and the leadership responsibilities that come with it. I believe his experience, integrity, judgment, and leadership qualities have prepared him well to serve effectively as Sheriff of Tioga County. I am proud to offer my support for Shawn and have great respect for him and his commitment to the law-enforcement profession.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Owego Police Department Chief Mike Telfer said, \u201cI have known Shawn Nalepa for over 30 years. I have been a member of law enforcement for 35 years and a lifelong resident of Tioga County. As a former Chief of the Owego Police Department, I had the opportunity to observe Shawn\u2019s commitment to Tioga County and to the well-being of those who live within our community. I endorse Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff without reservation and urge you to lend your support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County Republican Party Chairman, and former Regional Representative for Governor Pataki, Don Leonard said, \u201cI have had the pleasure of knowing Shawn Nalepa for more than twenty years and I have always been more than impressed with his demeanor, professional competence, and ability to communicate and work with the community here in Tioga County. In his nearly thirty-year career in law enforcement, Shawn grew through the ranks of the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Department to become Captain of Operations and was responsible for the supervision of over 100 county employees. He also expertly managed grant writing and maintenance, and personnel recruitment and retention. To me it is clear that Shawn Nalepa is highly qualified to serve Tioga County as our next County Sheriff, and I wholeheartedly support his candidacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Town of Nichols Supervisor Barbara Cushman said, \u201cI\u2019m pleased to share my support for Shawn Nalepa, candidate for Tioga County Sheriff. Having known and worked with Shawn in a professional capacity, I\u2019ve seen qualities that make him a strong candidate. He has more than 26 years’ experience in law enforcement, having earned respect from colleagues and community members alike. I believe he will bring honesty, integrity and commitment to this role. I endorse Shawn Nalepa with the full confidence that he will do an incredible job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County Undersheriff Mike Jackson said, \u201cI am proud to endorse the candidacy of Shawn Nalepa for the office of Tioga County Sheriff. Leading a public safety organization with more than 110 employees and an annual operating budget exceeding $14 million is a significant responsibility. To succeed, a candidate must be well trained in all aspects of operations and have executive-level management experience. Shawn is a retired member of the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office and has 30 years of public safety experience. He has held positions in Corrections and Law Enforcement. He is well trained and holds a variety of regional and state-wide law enforcement certifications. During his tenure, his skills and work performance earned him promotions, most notably to the title of Operations Captain.<\/p>\n
In this executive role, Shawn managed all operations at the Sheriff\u2019s Office. Upon his retirement in 2023, Shawn accepted an executive position with the Broome County Sheriff\u2019s Office and currently serves as Assistant Director of the Broome County Law Enforcement Academy and Director of Training for the Corrections Academy. Shawn resides in Tioga County with his wife Maria. He actively serves as a board member with the Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chairman of the Tioga County Community Services Board, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council # 1839. I believe Shawn has the training and executive experience needed to lead a public safety organization effectively. He will serve with integrity and accountability. I respectfully encourage my fellow voters to support Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tioga County Legislator Andrew Aronstam said, \u201cThe intent of this communication is to give my personal and professional endorsement of Shawn J. Nalepa for the position of Tioga County Sheriff. I have had the pleasure of knowing Shawn since my early days in county and village governance. I believe that Shawn has the essential interpersonal skills required to successfully lead such a dynamic organization. I also believe that Shawn shares the Upstate New York values that are essential to be successful in such a visible position of leadership. A review of Shawn\u2019s career path identifies a professional, well equipped to thrive in this high paced, high stress position. I will not attempt to summarize his resume except to state that his has been a career of continuous advancement and increasing responsibility. It is also significant that Shawn participated in the training required for advancement well in advance of any specific opportunity. As a Tioga County Legislator, I look forward to working with Shawn as I know he will enhance the already stellar operations of the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Department.\u201d<\/p>\n
Broome County Undersheriff Sam Davis said, \u201cI have known Shawn Nalepa for just about my entire career. We came up in the same profession, trained side by side, and he worked at the agency where he was under my indirect supervision. I know what he is made of. I am writing this letter because Tioga County deserves a Sheriff who has been preparing his entire career for the job, and Shawn Nalepa is exactly that person.<\/p>\n
Let me be specific about what nearly 30 years in law enforcement looks like when it is done right. Shawn started as a Corrections Officer. He did not stop there. He climbed every rung, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Criminal Investigator, SWAT Commander, and ultimately Captain of Operations at the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, the highest non-elected rank in the building. He ran Road Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Corrections, Civil, and Communications, all at once, overseeing more than 100 employees.<\/p>\n
That is not a career that happens by accident. That is a man who kept proving himself at every level until there was nowhere left to go but up. What separates Shawn is not just the rank he reached. It is how he carried himself getting there. I trained next to this man. I supervised him. In both contexts, the same thing was true: he was someone you could count on. Not someone who performed well when people were watching. Someone who performed well because that was the standard he held for himself. That distinction matters in law enforcement. You find out quickly who is who. He has the credentials to back it all up. FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership Institute. DCJS certified to instruct Firearms, Use of Force, Defensive Tactics, Principled Policing, and more. Texas State University active shooter response instructor.<\/p>\n
Those are not resume fillers. Those are the tools of someone who took the profession seriously enough to keep learning long after he had earned the right to coast. Beyond the badge, Shawn has served his community in ways that most officers never do. Board member of the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce. Vice-Chair of the Tioga County Community Services Board. Co-Chair of the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Regional Council. He understood a long time ago that law enforcement does not begin and end with a patrol car. It begins and ends with the people you serve. Tioga County is not looking for someone to learn on the job. They are looking for someone who already knows the job. Shawn Nalepa spent 27 years at the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office. He knows the agency.<\/p>\n
He knows the county. He knows what works and he knows what needs to change. That kind of institutional knowledge does not come from a campaign promise. It comes from decades of showing up. I do not offer my endorsement lightly. My name and my reputation are attached to everything I put my signature on. I am putting both on Shawn Nalepa without hesitation. He is ready. Tioga County should be too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County District Attorney & Judge Gerald Keene said, \u201cI am sending this letter to express my full support for Shawn Nalepa in his campaign for Tioga County Sheriff. I had the opportunity to work with him during the 13 years that I served as Tioga County District Attorney. Additionally, I observed his work for 10 years when I was Tioga County Judge. Shawn was always prepared, professional and disciplined in every interaction with the court system. He is personable, humble and a natural leader. Shawn will be an excellent sheriff. I wholeheartedly support his decision to run for sheriff of Tioga County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tioga County Clerk Andrea Klett said, \u201cPlease accept my full support for Shawn Nalepa as Tioga County Sheriff. As a life-long resident of this County, I care deeply about the future of our community and believe that Shawn has the integrity and the drive to lead the Sheriff\u2019s Department as they serve and protect the people of Tioga County. Please join me in supporting Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff in the November 2027 election.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office Lieutenant Jeff Anderson said, \u201cI proudly served the people of Tioga County with the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office for over 35 years, retiring as a Lieutenant in 2011. During those years, I had the opportunity to watch many officers begin their service with the Sheriff’s Office.<\/p>\n
Only a handful distinguished themselves as natural leaders early on, and Shawn Nalepa was one of them. I watched Shawn begin as a Corrections Officer and, through his dedication, professionalism, and unwavering work ethic, advance through every level of the department. One lesson I learned in law enforcement is that rank alone does not make a leader. Leadership is earned through trust, respect, and the example you set every day. Shawn earned that respect from his fellow officers because he never asked anyone to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. He led by example, treated people with fairness, and always carried himself with professionalism, whether dealing with fellow officers or members of the community.<\/p>\n
One of the things that impressed me most about Shawn was that each promotion never changed the kind of person he was. As his responsibilities grew, so did his leadership, but he remained approachable, honest, and grounded. Those are qualities that cannot be overstated in a Sheriff. The Sheriff’s Office is more than enforcing laws. It is about building trust with the public, supporting the men and women who wear the badge, making difficult decisions under pressure, and always putting the community first. Over the years, I watched Shawn demonstrate those qualities time and time again. His nearly three decades of service, extensive training, and progression through every level of the Sheriff’s Office have prepared him exceptionally well for this role. As someone who dedicated his own career to serving Tioga County, I can say without hesitation that Shawn Nalepa has my complete confidence and my wholehearted endorsement to serve as your next Tioga County Sheriff. I believe he has the experience, the character, and the leadership our county deserves. More importantly, I know he has the heart to continue serving this community with honor. I respectfully encourage the citizens of Tioga County to support Shawn Nalepa for Sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Town of Owego Board Member Jonathan Marks said, \u201cI am writing to express my wholehearted endorsement of Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff. When it comes to law enforcement, experience isn\u2019t just a line on a resume\u2014it is a promise of stability, readiness, and sound judgment. Shawn brings nearly three decades of dedicated service to our region. Having served 27 years with the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Office, where he retired as Captain, and now serving as the Training Director for Corrections at the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, Shawn knows the inner workings of our local law enforcement inside and out. He doesn’t just understand leadership theory; he has lived it, managed high-stakes operations, and proven his ability to keep communities safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Olsen said, \u201cI would like to provide my endorsement for Shawn Nalepa for Tioga County Sheriff. I have known Shawn and his wife Maria for over 20 years, having worked with them both. As a member of the Tioga County Sheriff’s Dept SWAT team for 20 years and as a career firefighter\/paramedic with the Town of Owego I can vouch for Shawn’s leadership skills and integrity. I’ve seen Shawn come up through the ranks as we served together on the SWAT team, which allowed me to see first-hand Shawn’s leadership abilities in times of crisis and in high stress situations. His breadth of leadership experience both with the Tioga County and with Broome County Sheriffs Dept ideally suits him to lead the Tioga County Sheriff\u2019s Department. It is an honor to provide my full-fledged endorsement for his candidacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
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