CARMEL – A career law enforcement professional with more than 20 years of public safety leadership is Putnam County’s new commissioner of Emergency Services.
James Oster, a lifelong resident of Kent, was confirmed Wednesday by members of the county Legislature’s Protective Services Committee which forwarded their approval to the full legislature for its vote next week.
County Executive Kevin Byrne appointed Oster to succeed Robert Lipton who retired last fall.
Employed by the Kent Police Department, Oster rose through the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant and lieutenant serving as the department’s executive officer and second-in-command. Oster oversaw the detective division, managed state grant funding, implemented departmental policies, and developed training and operational standards. He also served as Assistant Commander and was a founding team leader of the Putnam County Emergency Response Team, directing some of the county’s highest-risk tactical operations.
Oster began his service in the emergency services field as an EMT with the Kent Fire Department.
Committee Chairman Thomas Regan queried Oster as to how the first few weeks of his post have progressed.
Oster, whose father the late Clifford Oster, served as a member of the Putnam Legislature decades ago, called himself a “hands-on type of leader who often responds to large scale calls. I want the men and women of emergency services agencies to see me at the scene of fatal accidents and structure fires providing guidance along with our battalions and chiefs.”
Oster also noted one of his first goals was to “get manpower back to where it used to be so the department can accomplish all of its tasks. A lot must be done and a shortage of manpower has placed a great burden on existing personnel.”
When appointing Oster, Byrne called the new commissioner a “proven leader with an unwavering commitment to public safety. His decades of experience in law enforcement, emergency response, and community service make him exceptionally well-qualified to lead our Bureau of Emergency Services. Jim understands the challenges faced by our volunteers, law enforcement agencies, and EMS providers, and will help keep Putnam County one of the safest places to live in the country.”
Oster was selected following a competitive interview process by an advisory committee that included Legislator Erin Crowley in her capacity as legislative liaison to the Fire and EMS Advisory Board, Deputy County Executive Jim Burpo, Undersheriff James Menton, Director of Personnel Paul Eldridge, Director of IT/GIS and former Emergency Manager Tom Lannon, Putnam Valley EMT and former EMS Council President Mike Moculski, and Brewster Fire District Commissioner Gerry Schramek.
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