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"I am seeking re-election as your Greene County sheriff as I am dedicated to serving the people of Greene County," Hussey said in a prepared statement. "I am proud of my accomplishments as your sheriff."
Hussey, 67, was elected sheriff in 1999 and re-elected in 2003. His current salary is $59,000 per year.
"Since being elected to this office, I have restored the respect and reliability of the Greene County Sheriff's Office," said Hussey, a Republican and lifelong resident of the county.
If re-elected, "I will continue my efforts to protect the people of Greene County and ensure that they can live in safe communities," he added.
Hussey said that when he first became sheriff, the office was in disarray because the previous administration had been the subject of a grand jury investigation over allegations of internal wrongdoing. He said new evidence procedures had to be established and enforced under his leadership and that several procedures needed to be updated and implemented.
Hussey also said the sheriff's office has established a high standard of professionalism during his time in office and that he has helped transform the office into a modern-day police force by obtaining the necessary tools to catch criminals and effectively performing day-to-day duties.
Hussey himself became the subject of a criminal investigation when he was pulled over on Sept. 25, 2005, in Catskill and charged with misdemeanor drunken driving.
Hussey was stopped by state troopers on Country Club Estates Road, after leaving a nearby restaurant, and reportedly refused to submit to a chemical test. He later had his driver's license revoked for six months.
The case against Hussey originally was assigned to Catskill Town Court but was later moved to Hunter Town Court. But the special prosecutor in the case, Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright, later pulled the case from Hunter and presented it to a Greene County grand jury.
Hussey was indicted on the misdemeanor count last Nov. 29, and the case against him is pending. It is to be heard by a Rensselaer County Court judge.
Prior to becoming sheriff, Hussey worked for the state Department of Corrections. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1963 and served until 1965 as a military police officer. After leaving the Army, Hussey returned to the corrections field and then attended the State Police Academy in 1968.
He served as a state trooper until December 1997, when he reached the mandatory retirement age, and then worked for Greene County's Welfare Fraud Unit before running for sheriff in 1999.
Hussey said that during his time as sheriff, he has replaced the aging fleet of patrol cars through lease agreements to save taxpayers money. He also has secured funding to update technology used by deputies and recently obtained a 25-foot patrol boat, at no cost to the county, through the state Department of Parks and Recreation, he said.
In February, Sheriff's Office Lt. Greg Seeley, 51, announced his intention to challenge Hussey for the Republican nomination. Seeley has worked for the Sheriff's Office for 22 years.
