The candidates for Onondaga County Sheriff held a debate last week, discussing and disagreeing on several issues, including the discipline handed to a Sheriff’s Deputy and the consolidation of the city and county jails into the county’s Jamesville Penitentiary.
But much of the debate focuses on one argument — whether incumbent Sheriff Toby Shelley has the trust of his staff.
Right before Shelley and Republican challenger RJ Lenhart debated on NewsChannel 9, the sheriff’s department union for jail deputies announced a vote of no confidence in Shelley. It framed the part of the discussion focusing on recruiting deputies to fill shortages.
"I think when you see that you're 80 positions down in the Justice Center right now, 80 plus positions, it's sending a message," said Lenhart. You can't get people to want to go there and work."
Shelley fired back.
"My opponent's lack of institutional knowledge in my office is more than evident," he said. "Listening to my detractors and haters is more than obvious to me. We've done a good job at recruiting. I took office and the jails are down 80 positions. We've hired 240 sworn members. We've hired 40 non-sworn members. I can't tell you how many transfers we've taken in. My police division, which is where everybody else is struggling to recruit as well, I am not struggling. A good measure of morale that he's mentioning is sick leave. Three-quarters of my office has no issue with sick leave."
Shelley alleged that a new union leader in the Justice Center jail – the union behind the no confidence vote – is behind the turmoil.
"A lot of that hinges around the union president," Shelley said. "Since he's been president, my sick leave in that jail has more than doubled. And the same union president in one year, just one year, has filed more grievances than all the other five unions in my office combined. One person. A particular thing he's talking about, they conspired. They sent some members of the Justice Center to do the "blue flu," and that's where you call in sick. And in July of 2023, they did just that, and they shut down booking.
Lenhart said the culture at the sheriff's department has changed.
"The administration right now has created a hostile work environment," he said. It is a punitive, heavily punitive environment. And people don't feel comfortable and safe doing the job that they signed up to do. We need to change that culture."
In the end, Lenhart wants the race to be a referendum on Shelley.
"I think the issue with the sheriff's office is the current sheriff and administration," Lenhart said. "I don't think he wants to acknowledge that. I think that his inexperience shows.
Early voting continues through November 1. Election Day is Tuesday November 3.
