Sheriff Michael J. Amato joined the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in 1979, as a part-time Corrections Officer and Road Patrol Deputy. In January 1982, he became full-time Correction Officer. In June of the same year, he was transferred permanently to the Criminal Investigations Division. In 1987, he was promoted to Investigator/Evidence Officer. In April of 1992, he was appointed Undersheriff, a position that he held until October 1997 when he was appointed Acting Sheriff. Shortly after that, he was appointed by Governor Pataki as Sheriff. He is serving his second term as the elected Sheriff. The Sheriff is a graduate of the 189th Session of the FBI National Academy, the National Institute of Corrections and numerous other police and corrections schools. He currently serves as Second Vice-President of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association. Montgomery County has a population of 49,000 and an area of 409 miles.