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.

Assistant Chief Custody Deputy Martin Ferguson

Martin Ferguson is a lifelong resident of Onondaga County. He joined the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department in April of 2021. Martin has served in many roles for the Sheriff’s Office to include supervising high risk incarcerated individuals within the Behavioral Health and Special Housing Units, member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), Research and Development, Compliance, and Accreditation Units, ultimately commanding both the Operations and Administrative Units and Sections at the rank of Sergeant and Lieutenant.

In 2018, Martin led the Justice Center’s initiative to achieve national accreditation with the American Correctional Association (ACA), a designation held by only three other local jails in New York State. He continues to manage the accreditation programs for National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the New York State Sheriff’s Association Correction Accreditation programs.

Assistant Chief Ferguson is a Field Training Officer (FTO), New York State certified Police Officer, certified and active police and corrections instructor. He is also a national and state accreditation assessor for the American Correctional Association, New York Law Enforcement Accreditation Police Program and the New York State Sheriff’s Association.

Martin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and History from Keuka College, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Ethical Leadership from Marist College and is a graduate of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy.

Assistant Chief Ferguson has administrative and supervisory oversight of Security and Operations and the Support Services Divisions at the 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.