By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County Acting Sheriff Eric Butler named Lt. Nate Root to be his undersheriff.
Butler, the former undersheriff, became sheriff when former Sheriff Timothy S. Whitcomb resigned Aug. 2, after serving as sheriff for the past 15 years. Whitcomb, who had a combined 34 years in law enforcement, is the longest serving sheriff in county history.
Root, a lieutenant in the Criminal Division, has served in law enforcement for 25 years — 22 years with the Sheriff’s Office and three years with the Salamanca Police Department. Root lives in Randolph.
Butler, who also started his law enforcement career in the Salamanca Police Department, was Root’s training officer before he joined the Sheriff’s Office.
Butler is being challenged by Denny “DJ” Whitmore, a Gulf War veteran and retired Federal Bureau of Prisons employee.
Lt. Nate Root (left) of the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Criminal Division has been named undersheriff by Acting Sheriff Eric Butler.
