Residents call for inquiry into Union County sheriff's office after public allegations

Several residents urged the Union County Board of County Commissioners on March 17 to investigate alleged misconduct by the sheriff's office, including discrimination, retaliation and alleged sexual assaults involving correctional staff.

The most detailed public comments were made by Salaam Esmail of the National United Youth Council Incorporated, who said he has received accounts from multiple women who worked as correction officers and described complaints ranging from harassment and racial abuse to what he described as sexual assault. "I'm a give you guys 10 days to look into these allegations," Esmail told the board, and asked for a report when he returns to speak again.

Other speakers echoed the call. Tassana Smith Thomas, who identified herself as president of the foundation of Sharkeya Garrett and a colleague of the National United Youth Council, said: "It's time for [Sheriff Peter Corvelli] to be held accountable for his actions." Waelin Stellis, who said she is a Union County taxpayer and a correction police officer, described being the target of repeated investigations and urged commissioners to "look into the activities that are happening next door." Bruce Patterson, a Garwood resident, also referenced allegations and public lawsuits related to the sheriff's office and other county contracting matters.

County Manager (name on the record) and County Counsel John Bergen responded to the public comments during the meeting. The county manager told the board that, "by law, any investigation regarding law enforcement cannot be done by the commissioner board. It has to go to the county prosecutor's office." Counsel Bergen added that "any such investigation even from the prosecutor that's reported to the county cannot be made public. All of those are personnel matters. So your request for a report is just impossible for this board to comply with."

Commissioner Mikaela Mirabella, addressing the public comments, said she knows Sheriff Peter Corvelli "to be a good, honest public servant" and expressed confidence that the prosecutor's office will "take ... the steps to make sure that these allegations are properly investigated and cleared up." That statement reflected the board's repeated direction that law-enforcement misconduct complaints be handled through prosecutorial channels rather than by the commissioners.

The public statements listed multiple named former or current correction officers whom commenters said had experienced misconduct. Some speakers said several of those individuals had filed lawsuits; Esmail said many of the names were already public. The board did not take any formal investigative action during the meeting. Instead, officials reiterated the legal limits on the commissioners' authority over law-enforcement personnel matters and the confidentiality that applies to personnel investigations.

Speakers who raised allegations asked the board to establish an independent review or other measure to address their concerns about retaliation and internal investigative processes. Commissioners and counsel repeatedly told the audience that criminal or administrative investigations involving law enforcement personnel are handled by the county prosecutor and that personnel findings are generally not public. The board meeting record shows no referral or vote to authorize a county-led inquiry into the allegations raised during public comment.

The meeting record contains alternately spelled references to the sheriff's name in public remarks and commissioner comments; the county's chief law-enforcement official is Sheriff Peter Corvelli, as used in this account. The public commenters asked for follow-up; the board provided only the procedural guidance that complaints go to the county prosecutor and noted that personnel details cannot be publicly released.