On July 30, 2010, Sheriff Henry H. Hommes passed away, after a long and herioc battle with cancer.  Undersheriff Richard Cutting will now assume the duties of the Office of Sheriff until a new Sheriff either is appointed, or elected in the fall 2010 elections.  Undersheriff Cutting has been very involved in many meetings, committees and other events of the Sheriffs' Association in his position as Undersheriff and in his prior positions with the Essex County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Hommes enjoyed a very productive and meaningful career in law enforcement. It began as a member of the United States Army Military Police. Shortly after his honorable discharge in 1966, he joined the New York State Police. He was appointed as an Investigator in 1978. Before he retired in 1987, Sheriff Hommes had served in three State Police Troops, A,K and B. After working briefly as a General Manager in a resort facility, he returned to law enforcement as an Investigator with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. In May of 1995, then-Sheriff Robert LaVigne appointed him Undersheriff. Upon LaVigne’s retirement in 1997, Hommes was elected Sheriff. Throughout his career, Sheriff Hommes attended numerous law enforcement and corrections schools. He has  oversaw the construction of the new 120 bed Essex County Correctional Facility as well as the attached Public Safety Building.

A huge crowd of Sheriff Hommes' family, friends and colleagues attended a memorial service for him in Elizabethtown on August 4, 2010.  He was remembered as a great father, grandfather, law enforcement officer, and friend.   

Essex County has a population of 38,000 and an area of 1,907 square miles.