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Resident alleges systemic misconduct and hostile work environment at sheriff’s office; urges legislative oversight
Summary
A county resident and retired state investigator told the legislature he has evidence of corruption, harassment and retaliation within the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and urged legislative oversight and review of internal investigations.
A county resident and retired senior investigator, Timothy Diamond, addressed the Sullivan County Legislature during the public comment period and urged legislators to investigate alleged corruption and hostile work environment issues at the sheriff’s office.
Diamond said he was informed of and had reviewed a recent founded hostile‑work‑environment complaint involving a high‑ranking member of the sheriff’s office and described it as the second such founded complaint in 18 months. He quoted offensive language that he said was included in audio recordings reviewed during the investigation and urged the legislature to request and review the investigative report.
He also recounted testimony he said he heard at a public Article 75 hearing held in the legislature’s chambers last July, where he said systemic corruption at the top of the sheriff’s office was alleged and that testimony indicated an FBI investigation was active. He urged the legislature to use oversight authority to address what he characterized as mismanagement and retaliation within the sheriff’s office.
Other public speakers criticized derogatory language about immigrants and asked the legislature to do outreach and fact finding. One speaker urged the legislature to protect immigrant residents and to avoid inflammatory rhetoric; another urged broader attention to staffing, meeting times and county priorities.
The speakers asked the legislature to seek the investigative report, review personnel practices, and ensure internal affairs processes are functioning. The transcript records the public comments but does not show any immediate administrative action or formal request by the legislature in response to these remarks.
