Sponsored by the New York State Sheriffs' Institute, the refresher program offers deputies and civilian staff an opportunity to share information about new laws and court cases impacting on their duties, and students are presented with many actual case scenarios to review and discuss.

The school is very important for counties seeking to maintain accreditation of their civil office from the New York State Sheriffs’ Association. The training is provided without charge to civil personnel nominated for the school by a Sheriff, and the instructors are deputy sheriffs and civil office managers with many years’ experience both in training and field operations.

All Sheriffs have civil law enforcement functions, including the service of process and enforcement of judgments and other court orders and mandates. The New York State Sheriffs’ Institute, established in 1979, provides the only statewide training program for civil deputies.