BARNSTABLE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS UNION
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September 9th, 2026
Vote of No Confidence
The members of the Barnstable County Correctional Officers Union (BCCOU), who represent the dedicated correctional officers of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office, held a vote of “no confidence” of both Sheriff Donna Buckley & Superintendent Ned McCormick. The union membership unanimously voted they have “no confidence” in both Sheriff Buckley and Superintendent Ned McCormick.
This vote was conducted based on five (5) ongoing breaches of contract, multiple violations of past practice, lack of transparency, unsafe working conditions, failure to negotiate in good faith and a hostile work environment created by the newly hired Superintendent Ned McCormick.
A major concern among union members is the Sheriffs’ disregard for the Commonwealth’s spending recommendations. Sheriff Buckley has stated during three separate meetings with several different union presidents in attendance that she would let the facility close before she would make any cuts.Sheriff Buckley has spent ten million ($10,000,000) more in her second year as Sheriff than her predecessor James Cummings did in his last year as Sheriff. This is an increase of over thirty-three (33) percent in only two years. For twenty-four (24) years Sheriff Cummings ran a safe and secure facility while operating within his budget that had nearly twice the inmate population and eighty more correctional officers employed. Currently, officers who have dedicated their lives to the department are fearful they will soon be unemployed.
Sheriff Buckley’s newly hired Superintendent Ned McCormick has created a hostile work environment with department-wide morale at an all-time low. He has made, among other statements, the following comments to several officers and employees who have expressed their concerns of his decisions: “If you don’t like it, you can leave”, “I’m not here to make friends”, “I don’t care what the floor thinks”. Superintendent McCormick’s refusal to operate the facility without violating union contracts has driven senior staff to choose early retirement and newly hired employees to seek employment elsewhere. With the administration’s inability to properly staff the building and the hostile managerial approach of Superintendent McCormick, officers fear staffing levels are going to worsen and officer and inmate safety will be compromised.
Given Sheriff Buckley’s disregard for the safety and security of officers, inmates, and support staff as well as her administration’s inability to properly operate the facility within her approved budget, the BCCOU welcomes further inquiry into all of these ongoing issues.
For any further inquiries please contact: Jordan Burke at jburke@timburkelaw.com
