Sheriffs wield immense power over U.S. county jails, controlling the lives of a third of the nation’s incarcerated population in addition to acting as enforcers of immigration law. But what happens when that power goes unchecked? When sheriffs ignore a pandemic’s threat, mismanage facilities, or oversee jails where dozens die from medical neglect?
In this episode, investigative journalists Cloee Cooper and Raina Lipsitz dive into the chilling story of upstate New York’s Constitutional Sheriff Tim Howard. They reveal how Howard—a sheriff with ties to far-right groups like the CSPOA and Oath Keepers—escaped accountability for 17 years. Despite investigations into inhumane conditions, medical neglect, and allegations of sexual misconduct by deputies, Howard used his so-called “constitutional” authority to sidestep responsibility. With few structural accountability measures beyond local elections, sheriffs operate with limited oversight—leading to unchecked power and ongoing neglect and violence in America’s jails.
Featured in this episode:
- Raina Lipsitz, journalist and author of The Rise of the New Left
- Monica Lynch, veteran and activist based in Buffalo, NY
- Nan Haynes, Professor Emerita at the University at Buffalo School of Law and former environmental, occupational, and civil rights lawyer
- April Baskin, Chairwoman of the Erie County Legislature/Representative County District 2
- Geoff Kelly, author at The Investigative Post
- Tim Howard, former Erie County Sheriff and Town Supervisor of Wales, NY
Further reading:
- Check out an in-depth look into why people keep dying in the Erie County jail by Raina Lipsitz, based on a joint investigation with Cloee Cooper.
- Explore why the former Erie County Sheriff thinks he’s above the law in the context of the rise of the far-right in upstate New York.
- Read about the surprising powers of sheriff departments in this New York Times opinion piece by Maurice Chammah.
- Learn about the dire consequences of the trend of sheriffs refusing to enforce COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown mandates at the county level.
The Insurgence: Sheriffs is created and hosted by PRA research director, Cloee Cooper. This episode was co-written by Cloee Cooper and Camilo Garzón. Audio production, audio editing, sound design, sound engineering, sound mix, story editing, story development, and consulting production by Cuentero Productions. All under their client-facing trademark, Cuentero Transeúnte Productions™. Olivia Lawrence-Weilmann provided production assistance and creative consulting. Additional production assistance was performed by René Martin. Raina Lipsitz contributed reporting. Interviews conducted for this episode by Cooper and Lipsitz were also featured in an investigation published by the New Republic in March, 2023. Original score is by Aakash Desai. The Insurgence: Sheriffs is executive produced by Political Research Associates (PRA) and Cuentero Productions.