Press Releases

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today announced he will be joined by Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar and Columbia County Sheriff Don Krapf for the President’s State of the Union Address on Thursday.

Sheriff Fred Akshar was elected in 2022 and has over 15 years of experience in law enforcement, starting first with the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and then with the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Akshar rose quickly through the ranks, gaining experience conducting dangerous undercover work, supervising every major criminal investigation as Captain of the Law Enforcement Division, and serving as Undersheriff, the second-in-command. Previously, Sheriff Akshar served as New York State Senator for the 52nd District, where he fought for economic opportunity, public safety, and expanded treatment options for those suffering from addiction. He also held roles on the Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections and Civil Service and Pensions Committees.

Sheriff Don Krapf was elected in 2022 and has 24 years of service with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. He started first as a Deputy in 1998, was promoted to Sergeant, Station Commander, and then to First Sergeant, where he oversaw the Security Services Division. Sheriff Krapf was the first Deputy assigned to Columbia Greene Community College after the attack at Virginia Tech, where he worked proactively to ensure a safe environment and declined a promotion so he could see his plans for strengthened security fully executed. Sheriff Krapf served in many other capacities within the Sheriff's Office, working with the Columbia County Drug Task force, Marine Patrol, Evidence Collection/Accident Reconstruction Team, Technical Rope Rescue Response Team, the Ebola Task Force and the SWAT/Shared Services Response Team, where he achieved the rank of Commander.

Rep. Molinaro said, “For this year’s State of the Union, I’m proud to announce that I will be joined by Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar and Columbia County Sheriff Don Krapf. These two serve counties on opposite ends of New York’s 19th Congressional District, but are connected in their strong commitment to taking a holistic approach to policing. Both have prioritized providing tough consequences for violent offenders and swift justice for victims, while implementing strong community-policing strategies and connecting those in-need to mental health and substance use treatment. By having Sheriff Akshar and Sheriff Krapf as my guests, I hope to draw attention to the serious public safety challenges our communities face and underscore the importance of doing more to support our men and women in law enforcement.”

Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar said, “It’s an absolute honor to join Congressman Molinaro as a representative of Law Enforcement and the Broome County community at this year’s State of the Union address. Every day, the dedicated men and women of law enforcement across our nation leave their homes and families to put their lives on the line, protecting and serving their communities amidst unprecedented challenges and under extraordinary circumstances. Far too often, police are not only called to serve as law enforcers, they are also asked to serve as mental health and substance use disorder specialists. We’ve learned that public safety solutions are not one-size-fits-all, and it takes the strong partnerships between law enforcement and the community to make positive, sustainable changes to better keep our loved ones safe. Broome County recognizes the need to work together to build a stronger, safer community, and that message rings just as true in our nation’s capital.”

Columbia County Sheriff Donald J. Krapf said, "It is an honor to represent Columbia County at this historic event in our nation's capital. In these challenging times, it is important that we work together across all levels of government to ensure the safety of our communities."