HARDER SEES FIGHT AGAINST CRIME, DRUGS AS TOP PRIORITIES

Sheriff Announces His Bid For Third Four-Year Term

BINGHAMTON -- Broome County Sheriff David E. Harder looks forward to
fighting drugs and crime for another four years.

Standing with Undersheriff Gary F. O'Neill, Harder discussed the
combined 75 years experience the pair will use in leading the battle
against crime.

Harder will seek a third, four-year term as Broome County sheriff in
this year's elections. He started serving as sheriff on Jan. 1, 1999.
He appointed O'Neill, a former Village of Endicott police chief, a
year and a half ago. "I think he is a man of great vision. We
compliment each other," said O'Neill.

The sheriff favored his right knee while standing behind a podium to
make his re-election announcement Monday. The injury was a slight
sprain suffered in a Mother's Day effort to spin around quickly and
try to tag out a grandson stealing second base, he said.

Harder, dressed in a blue suit, white shirt, red tie and black shoes,
rather than his uniform, made the announcement at county Republican
Headquarters on the seventh floor of the Wicks Building in downtown
Binghamton. He spoke briefly from memory, admitting to having walked
out of his Town of Dickinson office and leaving his notes on his desk.

There are no indications that other party members plan to run for
sheriff, according to Republican leaders.

Raymond D. Schaffer, 53, of Endicott, announced last week his
intention to seek the Democratic nod for sheriff. Harder defeated
Schaffer in the general election in November 2002.

Harder joined the Sheriff's Department on Jan. 1, 1964, and rose
steadily through the ranks.

The sheriff extolled some of the brighter points of his two terms,
noting a considerable amount had been done at no taxpayer expense,
including getting Department of Corrections variances to increase the
housing from 400 to 484, which added $2 million to revenues by
boarding federal, state and other prisoners.

The sheriff says he looks forward to more consolidation. "Our 15
Broome County Special Investigation Unit members have made over 1,000
arrests in the past two years. Looking into the future, I see more
such consolidations. We are looking to add other agencies to the SIU."

Drugs remain the biggest issue.

"Drugs are like a cancer. They spread. They cause murders, burglaries
and robberies as they steal from others and from each other," said
Harder, who was in narcotics enforcement for 25 years before becoming
sheriff. "Meth has come and gone, come and gone. Heroin is the same.
It's here and it's gone, but cocaine and marijuana have been here for years."