Seneca Deputy gets DWI charge after crash

Seneca County Sheriff Jack S. Stenberg announced the arrest on Monday, August 30, 2010, by New York State Police of off –duty, Jason Lanphear, age 29, a three year employee of the Sheriff’s Office. For the past two years, Lanphear was a member of the uniformed road patrol.Lanphear’s arrest stems from a single vehicle accident at 4:45 a.m., at the intersection Burgess Road and Route 318 in the Town of Junius. Lanphear was traveling Northbound on Burgess Road when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Burgess Road and State Route 318. Lanphear’s vehicle went off the road and into a field. Lanphear allegedly left the scene and was located a short time later at his residence. The investigation conducted by Troopers and Sheriff’s Deputies resulted in his arrest for Driving While Intoxicated, Driving with a .08% BAC or higher. Lanphear was placed on administrative leave pending both the criminal and internal investigations. “We are cooperating fully with the State Police and District Attorney’s Office in this matter” said Sheriff Stenberg.“It’s disheartening that with all we have accomplished since I took Office that we have another instance of a violation of the public’s trust” “We have some of the best policies and procedures in place which have been validated by outside experts. The vast majority of the men and women choose each and every day to follow our policies and procedures by making good decisions. There are however, a few who don’t. I am determined to fully enforce the policies and procedures we have put into effect to make this Office more professional. However, it always comes down to an employee and the choices they make.” “The bad choices are fewer and farther between than when I first came to this Office, but, every now and then there is a lapse in judgment.” “The fine men and women of this Office will continue to persevere through these difficult times as the professionals they are.” continued Stenberg.“I pledged during my campaign that I would take a no-nonsense approach to disciplinary issues and have had occasion to deal with several major and minor ones brought before me. We have found it necessary to file criminal charges against four employees, two of which have been convicted. We have terminated four others employees and suspended six others without pay. We have issued over twenty counseling memorandums which are designed to modify behavior against those who continue to bring discredit to this Office.We have faced criticism for how we have handled various cases; however, those who choose to criticize this Office without the benefit of knowledge should know full well that we are bound by law not to discuss internal employee disciplinary cases. The process of terminating a civil servant is time consuming and requires the documentation of any and all unacceptable conduct, continued Sheriff Stenberg.