Ulster County Sheriff's Employees Association

04/17/2026

*TRIVIA TIME * We have 2 tickets for next week's wrestling show in Kingston. For our non union members.

What song does Tommy Dreamer use as his entrance music?

04/09/2026

Come out and support

🚓✨ BEHIND THE BADGE – Fun Family Event! ✨🚓

The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office is excited to invite our community to a day of fun, safety, and connection at Behind the Badge! 👮‍♂️💙

📅 May 30, 2026
🕛 12PM–4PM
📍 The Kingston Plaza – 151 Plaza Rd, Kingston, NY
🌧 Rain Date: May 31st
🎉 FREE ENTRY!

Bring the whole family out for an unforgettable afternoon featuring:

🚔 Demonstrations by Special Units
👶 Child Car Seat Safety Checks
🆔 Child ID’s
🚒 Emergency Vehicles on Display
🪓 Axe Throwing
🎈 Fun Activities for Kids

This is a great opportunity to meet your local law enforcement officers, first responders, and community partners in a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere. We’re proud to serve and protect—and even prouder to connect with the community we call home. 💪💙

Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and come spend the day Behind the Badge with us!

03/28/2026

•Excellent benefits •25 yr retirement • no college needed •15 holidays •Swaps

03/12/2026

Letter to the Editor

Tier 6 of the New York State retirement system has created serious and growing challenges for recruiting and retaining the dedicated men and women who serve as deputies and corrections officers in Ulster County.

When the state enacted New York State Pension Tier 6, it was promoted as a cost-saving measure. But more than a decade later, its unintended consequences are becoming clear in law enforcement agencies across the state, including here in Ulster County.

Under Tier 6, deputies and corrections officers must contribute a larger portion of their salary toward their pensions and work longer before they can retire compared with previous tiers. The retirement age is higher, the pension calculation is less favorable, and overtime earnings count less toward final pension benefits. For a profession that is physically demanding, high-stress, and often dangerous, these changes make the career significantly less attractive than it once was.

These realities are felt acutely within the Ulster County Sheriff's Office. Recruiting new officers has become increasingly difficult because many qualified candidates compare the retirement benefits with other law enforcement agencies or neighboring states and choose to apply elsewhere. Meanwhile, experienced deputies and corrections officers who were hired under Tier 6 often leave for departments with better benefits or different retirement systems.

The result is a revolving door that strains the entire operation. Staffing shortages mean remaining officers must work more overtime and face heavier workloads. This contributes to burnout, reduces morale, and makes retention even harder. In correctional facilities especially, understaffing can create safety concerns for both officers and incarcerated individuals.

These challenges are not unique to Ulster County. They reflect a broader issue affecting agencies that participate in the New York State and Local Retirement System. However, the impact is felt locally every day by the officers trying to do their jobs with fewer colleagues and increasing demands.

If New York wants to maintain professional, well-staffed law enforcement and correctional institutions, policymakers must reconsider the long-term consequences of Tier 6. Adjusting retirement benefits for public safety personnel would not simply be a financial decision—it would be an investment in recruitment, retention, and public safety.

The deputies and corrections officers of Ulster County perform difficult work that most people never see. Ensuring that their retirement system fairly reflects the demands of their profession is essential to maintaining a stable and effective workforce.
Sincerely,

George MacDonald Ryan Shuman
UCSEA President PBA President

02/13/2026

This is our list of winners for the Fire & Ice raffle. A representative from the union will be reaching out to you to get you prize shipped to you

01/27/2026

01/05/2026

🔥❄️ 2026 Fire & Ice Raffle ❄️🔥
Hosted by the Ulster County Sheriff Employee Association

The Ulster County Sheriff Employee Association is excited to announce our 2026 Fire & Ice Raffle an incredible opportunity to win one of 14 premium prizes!

🎟 Ticket Information
$50 per ticket
Only 200 tickets available
Each ticket gives you 14 chances to win
Once a ticket wins, it is removed from all remaining drawings
If you’re interested in purchasing a ticket, please contact Union President George MacDonald.

🔥 FIRE PRIZES
Solo Stove Yukon with (2) GCI Outdoor Rocker Camping Chairs – $700+ value
Weber Spirit E-310 Grill – $500+ value
Blackstone 1883 Original 28” Griddle – $400+ value
$350 Amazon Gift Card
East Oak Electric Smoker for Outdoors - $300+ value
East Oak 30” Ignition Patio Heater with Enhanced Burner Head – $160+ value
Chef iQ Sense Smart Wireless Thermometer – $140+ value

❄️ ICE PRIZES
JBL PartyBox 310 – $520+ value
YETI Tundra 65 Cooler with YETI Shot Glass Set – $475+ value
YETI Roadie 32 Wheeled Cooler – $375+ value
$350 Amazon Gift Card
15” Wine Cooler Refrigerator – $380+ value
Ninja NeverClog Cold Press Juicer – $150+ value
Beats Wireless Headphones – $250+ value

📅 Drawing Date: Friday, February 13, 2026

Don’t miss your chance to win big while supporting the Ulster County Sheriff Employee Association. Tickets are limited get yours early!

12/25/2025

We who work behind these walls wish you all a happy, healthy, and Merry Christmas! May your holiday be filled with the warmest wishes.

12/03/2025

🚨 Blood Drive Alert!! 🚨

The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office is proud to team up with the American Red Cross to host a holiday blood drive on December 23, 2025! 🎅🏼❤️

What better gift to give this Christmas than the gift of life? 🎁🩸

If you’d like to help make a lifesaving difference, please visit the Red Cross website and sign up for our drive. Every donation counts, and we appreciate you more than you know!

Thank you for considering, and we wish you a healthy, happy, and safe holiday season! 🎄✨

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive

09/22/2025

Today we remember Ulster County Sheriff's Office Corrections Sergeant Kerry Winters #450; LODD 09/22/2016.
A Hero Remembered Never Dies.
KERRY JOSEPH WINTERS, SR.
9 years ago today, Sergeant Kerry Winters drowned while conducting a training dive with the Ulster County Sheriff's Office's In-Water Rescue Team in the Ashokan Reservoir at approximately 12:30 pm.
He became separated from his two dive partners during the dive. He was found unresponsive a short time later and brought to the surface where other team members performed CPR and utilized an AED. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Sergeant Winters had served with the Ulster County Sheriff's Office for 31 years and was assigned to the Corrections Division. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Sgt Winters, you will always be missed and never forgotten.
"Good job, folks!"
BIO
Age 51
Tour 31 years
Badge 450