Command Staff

Lieutenant/Acting chief Douglas W. Brenner

has served with the Oneonta Police Department since 1998.  He brings with him twelve years prior experience as a Corrections Officer and Deputy Sheriff with the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, and additonal experience as a Patrol Officer with the Village of Cooperstown Police Department.

Lieutenant Brenner holds an A.A.S. Degree in Technical Sciences from SUNY College at Morrisville. Prior to his promotion to Lieutenant, he has served as a uniform patrol sergeant and patrol officer.  Lieutenant Brenner's specialties are that of a New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services certified Police General Topics Instructor, Police Firearms Instructor, Field Training Officer, and NYS Emergency Medical Technician. The Lieutenant is the Oneonta Police Department's Training Coordinator and the Command Supervisor of the Oneonta Police Department Special Response Team.   Lieutenant Brenner also serves in the capacity of the Incident Event Coordinator, possessing the highest level of Critical Incident Management Certification within the Department, and is the Department's Media Spokesperson. 

Upon the retirement of Police Chief Dennis R. Nayor in January of 2017, Lieutenant Brenner was named acting chief of the Police Department. 

Detective Sergeant Christopher J. Witzenburg

has been serving with the City of Oneonta Police Department since May of 1998. Prior to his assignment as Detective Sergeant, he served in the capacities of Patrol Sergeant, Detective, and uniformed Patrol Officer.  In 2008, he was recognized as the Oneonta Police Department's Officer of the Year.  Detective Sergeant Witzenburg is a New York State certified Police General Topics Instructor, Field Training Officer, Police Firearms Instructor, Pepperspray Instructor, Glock Armorer, Latent Print Examiner, Patrol Rifle Instructor, and less-lethal munitions instructor. As the Department’s Special Response Team's former tactical team leader, Detective Sergeant Witzenburg helped to develop the team into a highly functional and professional unit.  Sergeant Witzenburg is an active member of the New York Tactical Officers Association.  As a graduate of the New York State Police Colonel Williams Homicide school, he is also a  Williams Associate.

Patrol Sergeant Ralph Pajerski

has been serving with the City of Oneonta Police Department since May of 2003.  Sergeant Pajerski holds a Bachelors degree in criminology from Northern Illinois University.  Prior to promotion to sergeant, he has served as a uniformed patrol officer, Field Training Officer, and bicycle patrol officer. Sergeant Pajerski is a member of the Oneonta Police Department's Special Response Team and is a certified Accident Reconstructionist.   Sergeant Pajerski is assigned to maintain and update the Department's license plate reader (LPR) and TRACs accident reporting software.  Additionally, he serves as the Oneonta Police Department's Traffic Safety Coordinator.

Patrol Sergeant Branden Collison

has been serving with the City of Oneonta Police Department since July of 2003.  Prior to that he was employed as a Corrections Officers with the Otsego County Sheriff's Department.  Sergeant Collison holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Herkimer County Community College and has served in the capacities of Patrol Officer and Detective prior to his promotion to Sergeant.  In those capacities he served as PBA Union President. Sergeant Collison is a New York State certified Crime Scene Photographer and Field Training Officer.  He is also certified as a Glock Armorer and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driver Enforcement Officer.  In 2010, Sergeant Collison was presented with the Department's award for Officer of the Year.

Patrol Sergeant Christopher Catapano

has been serving with the City of Oneonta  Police Department since 2008.  Sergeant Catapano holds an associates degree in  criminal justice from Herkimer County Community College and a Bachelors Degree  in criminal justice from the State University College of NY at Oneonta.  While  attending SUNY Oneonta, Sergeant Catapano served as an intern with the  Oneonta Police Department where he was later hired as an officer from the civil  service list.   Prior to promotion to sergeant, he served as a patrol officer and field  training officer.  Sergeant Catapano is a certified hostage negotiator and a member  of the Oneonta Police Department Special Response Team.

PATROL SERGEANT ERIC J. BERGER

has been serving since 2008 with the Oneonta Police Department. Sergeant Berger holds an Associates Degree from Utica School of Commerce in Business Administration.  Prior to promotion, Sergeant Berger has served as a uniformed patrol officer, a bicycle patrol officer, and a narcotics detective.  Sergeant Berger's specialties are that of Police Drug Recognition Expert, Police General Topics Instructor, Field Training Officer, and Tactical Team Leader with the Oneonta Police Department's Special Response Team. Sergeant Berger is also a precision marksman (sniper/observe) for the Department's tactical team.