Shirley is a hamlet of approximately 28,000 residents, located within Suffolk County on the south shore of Long Island. In August 2008, the Suffolk County Police Department conducted a street-level reverse sting in Shirley and the neighboring town of Mastic. The operation utilized an undercover female officer, who served as a decoy. When men attempted to solicit sex from her, they were apprehended by police. A total of five sex buyers were arrested. Each was charged with “patronizing a prostitute,” a Class A misdemeanor. Suffolk County officers released the men’s names and other identifying information to the local media.