Custody Department

Chief Custody Deputy Nathan Hawker

Nathan Hawker is a life-long resident of Onondaga County. He joined the Onondaga County Department of Correction in August of 1991. He spent 32 years of his career as an Officer, then Sergeant and finally Lieutenant assigned to Housing, Transport and Training. During that time, he was involved in the development and implementation of the department’s Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, the Taser program and the K-9 Program. He was promoted to Captain in 2020 where he worked as the Administration Captain and later on the Security and Operations Captain. He was recently promoted to Chief Custody Deputy taking over operations in the Justice Center. Chief Hawker is currently in the military where he has served for over 40 years, starting out in the United States Marine Corps for 6 years and then transferring to the New York Army National Guard for the last 35 years. He holds the rank of Sergeants Major and is currently attached to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) in Fort Drum. Chief Hawker has been deployed several times to Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Chief Hawker is responsible for the management and supervision of the Custody Department, which consist of the Onondaga County Justice Center.

Our Mission

The Mission of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Custody Department, a county correctional law enforcement organization, is to ensure public safety for the citizens of Onondaga County by providing premier and cost-effective prisoner custody, security and transportation services. We will maintain the confidence that the public has placed upon us by developing a safe and secure community, through having a positive impact on the persons we detain while maintaining a humane environment at the Patrick J. Corbett Justice Center.