Newly compiled data from the Seneca County Sheriff’s Police Benevolent Association expands on a growing concern aired last week: That Seneca County has become a training ground for other police agencies because of low pay and limited long-term incentives.
The document lists 100 former deputies who started their careers in Seneca County before leaving for other departments. The Geneva Police Department, Seneca Falls Police Department, and Waterloo Police Department each hired 12 of them — the largest number among all agencies. The Canandaigua Police Department followed with eight hires, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office with four, and the Auburn Police Department with one.
Other frequent destinations included the New York State Police (8), Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office (6), Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (3), Interlaken Police Department (3), Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (3), Ithaca Police Department (3), and Brighton Police Department (3) — illustrating how many trained deputies left for neighboring jurisdictions across the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier.
At least 11 of those who left and served in command roles (past and present), including nine chiefs, one lieutenant, and one captain, spread across departments in Waterloo, Seneca Falls, Geneva, Interlaken, Trumansburg, Macedon, Newark, and Brighton. PBA officials said the pattern shows how consistently the county has lost both experience and leadership potential.
The list shows 17 deputies who completed full 20-year careers in Seneca County before retiring — a small group compared to the far larger number who trained, gained experience, and then left for higher-paying posts elsewhere.
Broader dispute continues
The figures come as the PBA and county leaders remain locked in contract mediation after talks stalled earlier this month. Deputies have worked without a ratified contract since Jan. 1.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Michael Enslow said the county “values and supports” its deputies but cannot sustain the pay hikes sought by the union, noting that the last contract provided an average 40.4% raise over three years, while the union’s current proposal averages 37.5% in new base-salary increases. He said recent tax hikes and use of reserves to balance the budget leave little room for added costs.
Union leaders counter that the board’s view ignores the fiscal burden of constant turnover and overtime — and that attrition has stripped away specialized positions, lengthened response times, and left the department short-staffed.
The Sheriff’s Office currently operates four deputies below full strength, leaving fewer school resource officers, no dedicated narcotics investigator, and less road-patrol coverage. Officials say the vacancies, combined with uncompetitive pay, have worsened burnout and recruitment struggles.
Former Sheriff Tom Fox’s salary comparisons show that Seneca Falls police start at $60,553 and top out at $81,979, while Waterloo officers earn up to about $81,000. Seneca County deputies, by contrast, start at $54,460 and max out at $71,959. State Troopers begin above $109,000 and top $127,000.
Former Undersheriff Gary Sullivan and former Sheriff Tim Luce have both warned that the current pay scale threatens hard-won professional standards. Luce said the county doesn’t need to match large departments “dollar for dollar” but must get close enough that deputies “think twice before transferring.”
Sheriff Tim Thompson has repeatedly said that the department’s ability to recruit, train, and retain qualified personnel has reached a breaking point. His office cut $650,000 from the 2025 budget, yet four positions remain unfilled.
The new roster of former deputies quantifies what union officials and past sheriffs have been describing for months: a pattern in which Seneca County invests heavily in law-enforcement training, only to lose that investment to other agencies soon after.
The PBA said the message is simple — the data isn’t theoretical anymore. It shows exactly where Seneca County’s deputies went, and why the next generation might follow unless pay and parity improve.
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