Orange, Sullivan sheriffs increase patrols at worship, community sites amid tensions

Sullivan and Orange County sheriff’s offices increased patrols around sensitive sites, including places of worship and community centers, in response to heightened tensions from the war in the Middle East, Mid‑Hudson News reported from Monticello on March 3, 2026. The article on the Mid‑Hudson News page, which includes video, framed the move as precautionary for locations "that could be targeted."

Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty told Mid‑Hudson News the county is monitoring potential targets while stressing there are no confirmed threats. "We have no credible threats at this time. But you always have those lone wolves that are out there, and we just have to be on a heightened alert for those types of people," Chaboty said, urging vigilance across Sullivan County.

Chaboty framed the public role in prevention in direct terms: "Don’t feel embarrassed. Give us a call. We’d rather come out, check it out, and have it be nothing then find out later it was something that we should have known about." His comments accompanied the Monticello‑datelined reporting that identified places of worship and community centers as among the sensitive locations under extra watch.

Threat assessment expert Patrick Regan told Mid‑Hudson News he advises the Jewish community to report all suspicious activity, "regardless of how minor it seems." Regan emphasized the role of specialized teams: "It isn’t the caller’s job to determine what is silly. It’s the job of law enforcement threat assessment teams to make that call." He added that mechanisms exist to intervene with individuals "on their pathway to violence" and noted, "Sullivan County has a team. Orange County just announced their kick off on Friday that they have a team as well."

The reporting does not include a quote from an Orange County sheriff’s office official and provides no operational details such as numbers of additional deputies, specific patrol patterns, or a date for Orange County’s kickoff beyond Regan’s "Friday" remark. Mid‑Hudson News’ story page also carries a photo captioned "Picture of Jim Sabastian" and related local headlines, underscoring the item’s placement amid broader county coverage.

Local officials and threat specialists framed the step as precautionary rather than reactive to a local incident: the article reiterates the absence of credible, specific threats while highlighting concern about isolated actors. Chaboty’s call for residents to report concerns remains the actionable guidance: contact local law enforcement if you observe suspicious behavior so threat assessment teams can evaluate it. Mid‑Hudson News lists newsroom contact options on the page for followup, and the outlet’s story includes a video element that readers can view for additional context.