Members of the New York City Deputy Sheriffs’ Association are demanding Sheriff Anthony Miranda’s resignation, claiming he has created a “hostile work environment” that has led to an exodus of rank-and-file members.
In documented complaints against Miranda, the union has claimed the city sheriff has “discriminated” and “retaliated” against union members.
“For approximately the last year [Miranda and the executive board] have engaged in actions with questionable legal basis, have unilaterally instituted changes, and have endangered the safety of [deputies],” according to a complaint filed with the Office of Collective Bargaining. “[They] have interfered with, restrained and coerced the union’s members’ exercise of their rights.”
Barry Williams for New York Daily News
New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda, right, talks with members of his department and members of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management during a raid at Weed World on 7th Ave. in Manhattan on Thursday, April, 20, 2023. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)
Miranda’s draconian mandates, unsanctioned changes to employees’ schedules, and laser focus on raiding illicit pot shops over the agency’s other duties have made working as a deputy sheriff untenable, according to the union president.
“Our members have left simply because they are not going to work for a tyrant who runs the agency with an iron fist,” union President Ingrid Simonovic told the Daily News. “Morale is incredibly low since he got here, and 37 [deputy sheriffs] have left. The others are waiting for another agency to call them before they go.
“Because of Sheriff Miranda’s mishandling of the sheriff’s office, mistreatment of our members, retaliatory actions against the union, and a creation of a hostile work environment, the union demands his resignation,” she said.
A call to Miranda about the union’s allegations was not returned.
Mayor Adams selected the politically connected Miranda to take over the city sheriff’s office in May 2022. Before becoming city sheriff, Miranda was an NYPD sergeant, director of security for the Administration for Children’s Services and longtime head of the National Latino Officers Association.
Over the past two years, the union has lodged 13 complaints against Miranda and his executives with the Office of Collective Bargaining, the Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau, the New York Department of Finance’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office, the state Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York City Office of Labor Relations about workplace misconduct. In comparison, the union only filed one labor complaint in the four years leading up to Miranda’s appointment.
Before Miranda and the focus on illegal cannabis, deputy sheriffs were allowed to work a four 10-hour day schedule instead of a five eight-hour day schedule, and deputy sheriffs needed to work only on days when the courts were open so they could execute eviction orders, seize property and hand out orders of protections and serve other legal documents.
Miranda mandated anyone coming back from leave would now have to work a five-day schedule. He also tried to make changes on overtime and vacation time, even though the union hadn’t had a new contract since before he came into office, Simonovic claims.
As deputies continued to question the legality of the cannabis raids, Miranda and his executives began retaliating against them, according to the improper-practice complaint. Simonovic was transferred from her spot in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and 11 deputy sheriffs were suspended “based upon outdated allegations that some of them had engaged in misconduct years ago,” the improper-practice complaint notes.
The deputy sheriffs were accused of stealing alcohol that had been seized from bars and clubs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspended deputies were never criminally charged, the Queens district attorney’s office confirmed. Of the 11 who were suspended, nine resigned, and two were found not guilty of the allegations following a city administrative trial.
City officials couldn’t comment on specific allegations against Miranda, claiming they are part of ongoing litigation.
“Under Sheriff Miranda, the sheriff’s office has made significant improvements to day-to-day operations while also addressing issues that arose under the previous administration, which has helped tackle the unprecedented challenge of illegal, unlicensed smoke and cannabis shops plaguing New York City,” a City Hall spokeswoman said.
As Miranda remains in office, Simonovic just has a few words for deputies looking to quit: Give it time.
“I tell them, ‘He isn’t going to be here forever. Just hang on,’ ” she said.