A city sheriff\u2019s office supervisor is accusing the department of reassigning her after she refused to sidestep complete background checks for more than 80 deputy sheriffs hired last year \u2014 who she says were hurried through the academy to fulfill the promise of a record-setting class size.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sheriff\u2019s office employee of about 15 years \u2014 who spoke on the condition of anonymity \u2014 told The Post that Sheriff Anthony Miranda was so eager to quickly hire a \u201chuge\u201d number of deputy sheriffs in 2025 that he permitted candidates to enter the academy, even when their checks were incomplete.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiranda\u2019s responsible to hire bodies, right?\u201d the employee said. \u201cBut he doesn\u2019t care who he wants to hire. He doesn\u2019t care who he hires.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A veteran sheriff\u2019s office employee exclusively told The Post that Sheriff Anthony Miranda was so eager to quickly hire a \u201chuge\u201d number of deputy sheriffs in 2025 that he signed off on candidates without complete background checks.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s not the proper way to do things,\u201d the worker added. \u201cYou can\u2019t just hire people carrying guns around the city, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
The longtime worker claimed to have been pulled off the background checks role in March of 2025 \u2014 a month after the academy class was sworn in \u2014 with a boss saying it was \u201cthe sheriff\u2019s decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI brought it up to them that we\u2019re not doing everything properly,\u201d the employee said. \u201cEventually they took me off of backgrounds entirely, because I was giving them trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miranda \u2013 who became the city\u2019s 123rd sheriff in 2022 \u2013 told The Post in a statement that while the sheriff\u2019s office makes recommendations on its new hires, it does not get the ultimate sign-off, and \u201cfinal approval is completed by the Department of Finance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery candidate goes through the same process and standards,\u201d he said. \u201cIndividual investigators do not set their own standard or impose their individual beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBackground investigations are a confidential process and any release of information is a breach of confidentiality,\u201d he added, noting that anyone with concerns should contact the DOF or the city\u2019s Department of Investigation.<\/p>\n
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry boasted that the 2025 sheriff\u2019s deputy class was the \u201cbiggest class in the history under [former Mayor Eric] Adams\u2019 administration.\u201d\u00a0 Helayne Seidman<\/p>\n
The worker said she was pulled off her role in March of 2025 \u2013 a month after the academy class was sworn in. Helayne Seidman<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the city\u2019s Department of Finance, which oversees the sheriff\u2019s office, said that the agency has now asked for external help with background checks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have asked DCAS to assume responsibility for the background check process for upcoming classes while DOF\u2019s new commissioner evaluates options to improve the process internally,\u201d a spokesperson said Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In September of 2024, Miranda boasted that the 2025 class of sheriff\u2019s deputies would be 90-strong, marking the largest in the office\u2019s history, Gothamist reported at the time.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n The promise came as the office grappled with high vacancies and was tasked with shutting down thousands of unlicensed cannabis shops citywide, according to the report.<\/p>\n Miranda previously boasted that the 2025 class of sheriff\u2019s deputies would be 90-strong, marking the largest in the office\u2019s history. James Keivom<\/p>\n A total of 83 deputies graduated from the academy in June. Former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry boasted on Instagram<\/a> that the class was the \u201cbiggest class in the history under [former Mayor Eric] Adams\u2019 administration.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Among the hired deputies were some with shady pasts, the former supervisor claimed \u2013 including a former Corrections officer who allegedly had an illicit relationship with a detainee.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those hired also included a candidate who owed about $500,000 in federal and state taxes, and another who was convicted of assault in Florida, the reassigned worker said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNo one had a full background done based on our training, the way how we\u2019re supposed to do things legitimately,\u201d the employee said.<\/p>\n The deputy said nothing will likely change while Miranda is in charge.<\/p>\n \u201cHR knows that once he got here, things changed,\u201d the deputy said. \u201cHe completely changed things.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t