A State Labor Judge Found the Sheriff “Less Than Credible” and Ruled He Violated State Labor Law

In August 2023, the Deputy Sheriff’s Benevolent Association of Onondaga County filed an improper practice charge with the New York Public Employment Relations Board against the County of Onondaga and the Onondaga County Sheriff. On Dec. 23, 2025, Administrative Law Judge Sarah M. Coligan found that the County and the Sheriff violated § 209-a.1(a) of the state’s Public Employees’ Fair Employment Act in two ways: when Shelley threatened to arrest union officials for engaging in a “blue flu” (a coordinated sick-out) without evidence of one, and when he told deputies at roll call that their union had lied to them about overtime negotiations.

“…I found Shelley to be a less than credible witness.” — Administrative Law Judge Sarah M. Coligan, Case No. U-39063, p. 54

The judge described Shelley’s testimony as combative, reticent, and evasive, and wrote that the record did not show a reasonable basis for accusing two union officials of orchestrating a blue flu. She noted the sheriff’s office investigated only absences after the booking unit closed, with no apparent effort to determine whether absences on the day of the closure were legitimate. On the roll-call remarks, she found the union witnesses’ accounts consistent and credible, and wrote that Shelley “was not a credible witness.” She concluded his comments undermined the union leadership’s authority and credibility.

The judge ordered the County and the Sheriff to stop threatening to arrest union officials without a reasonable basis, to stop making statements to employees that interfere with their organizational rights, and to post a notice to that effect for 30 days.

For context: the judge dismissed the union’s remaining allegations, including a claim of bad-faith bargaining and a claim of retaliation over sick-leave checks. She also wrote that a blue flu, had one actually occurred, would be unprotected activity under the law. The violations she found concerned the arrest threats and the roll-call remarks.

The AG Found a Pattern of Misconduct. The Sheriff Kept the Deputy on Patrol.

The New York Attorney General’s office reviewed complaints against Deputy Joseph Strom, which the sheriff’s office itself had referred, and in a July 29, 2025 findings letter concluded he engaged in a pattern of misconduct. The AG’s office recommended moving Strom from road patrol to an administrative position, with closer monitoring and tougher discipline going forward.

“…due to staffing shortages, it is not feasible to reassign Deputy Strom.” — Sheriff Shelley, letter to the Attorney General, via Syracuse.com, March 2026

According to Syracuse.com, Shelley did not challenge the report’s findings of fact, and told the outlet he stands by the deputy, who he described as a top member of the department. Shelley noted Strom had never been disciplined before.

Department Policy Led to an 11-Year-Old Girl Being Handcuffed for a Crime She Didn’t Commit

Under Sheriff Shelley’s leadership, deputies searching for a suspect who fled a stolen car six blocks away stopped a group of children walking home from school and handcuffed an 11-year-old girl, behind her back, on a public sidewalk. She hadn’t done anything wrong.

“I couldn’t even finish watching the video… that’s not how you handle children.” — The girl’s mother, CNY Central, Jan. 14, 2025

Asked whether seven minutes in handcuffs was excessive for a child who’d done nothing wrong, Shelley called it “good police work.” His defense rested on the department’s standard practice of automatically handcuffing every detainee, including juveniles, regardless of circumstance — a practice a Syracuse University constitutional law professor later called “an obvious constitutional problem.” Syracuse.com’s own editorial board also publicly challenged the sheriff’s handling of the incident, in a piece that went on to win a Syracuse Press Club award.