News

Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Community Advisory Board Seeks Additional Members

Aug
18
2021

Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr. is seeking additional interested Suffolk County residents to join the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Community Advisory Board. All interested residents must submit letters of inquiry and resumes to be considered for Board Membership.

The Community Advisory Board meets monthly to give residents an opportunity to meet regularly via Zoom with the Sheriff and his staff, discuss topics of interest and concern, be a conduit for information to local communities, and provide input on Sheriff’s initiatives and policies relating to the Office and its relationship with the general public. The Board consists of members from across Suffolk County.| read more ››

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Looks to Forge Connections with Kids

Aug
7
2021

Hoping to build trust between the community and law enforcement, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office had its officers meet and greet children and their families Saturday in Melville for a day of vehicle tours and activities.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. and former Giants cornerback Perry Williams were at White Post Farms in Melville for a "Unity Day" for Long Island residents. Attendees were able to tour police search boats, motorcycles and other vehicles; watch K-9 demonstrations; meet, talk to and take pictures with law enforcement officers; and have children play tug-of-war with sheriff’s deputies and correction officers, among other activities.| read more ››

Sheriff Toulon Named to Major County Sheriffs Intelligence Commanders Committee

Jul
29
2021

Recently, Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr., was appointed to the Major County Sheriffs of America’s Intelligence Commanders Committee. This committee was formed to foster communication among law enforcement agencies as an avenue for addressing public safety threats facing our communities.

The primary goal of the Intelligence Commanders Committee is to provide sheriff’s departments with timely and accurate intelligence during both times of crisis and periods of normalcy. It will focus on current threats such as foreign and domestic terrorism, human and narcotics trafficking, and cyberattacks. The work of this committee will not be exclusive to sheriff’s departments; it will remain engaged with other law enforcement organizations including the Major City Chiefs Association and federal agency partners.| read more ››

County Wins Historic Opioid Settlements

Jul
22
2021

Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone joined Nassau County Executive Laura Curran at the Central Islip Courthouse Tuesday, July 20 to announce a settlement partnered with New York Attorney General Letitia James; an agreement with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, three of the nation’s largest drug distributors, will deliver up to $1.1 billion to New York State to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.

For Suffolk County, it will mean between $80 and $100 million, said Legis. Rob Calarco, who was the first to lead Long Island’s lawsuits against the opioid companies.

“They’ll be upfront payments of $20 million and the remainder will be paid over a period of 20 years,” Calarco said. “This is the largest settlement in the country for the opioid lawsuits. They were active litigants in Supreme Court and will no longer be a party to the lawsuit and we will drop our action with them.| read more ››

This Bronx Tale Stars Several Yankees Greats and a Future History-Making Bat Boy

Jul
14
2021

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. has worn many uniforms over his storied career in law enforcement, first with the New York City Department of Correction and since Jan. 1, 2018, as the first African American elected to a nonjudicial countywide office.

But Toulon, who turns 59 next week, said much of what he learned about how to run an organization is from two years he spent in pinstripes.

The South Bronx native was a Yankees bat boy in 1979 and 1980, working home games at Yankee Stadium, in the clubhouse and on the field. He recalled his experience as he prepares to throw out the first pitch Friday before a Long Island Ducks game in Central Islip.| read more ››

Suffolk Accepts $21.5M Opioid Settlement; Nassau Gives Preliminary OK

Jul
13
2021

The Suffolk County Legislature voted Monday to accept more than $21.5 million from four major pharmacy chains and one opioid manufacturer to settle a lawsuit alleging the companies fueled the opioid epidemic on Long Island. The Nassau Legislature later gave preliminary approval to similar-sized settlements totaling $28.3 million.

The 18-member Suffolk County Legislature approved settlements Monday morning from the pharmacies — Rite Aid, CVS, Walmart and Walgreens — and the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson. Nassau's Finance and Rules Committees approved settlements Monday evening with the same companies, and the full 19-member Nassau County Legislature is expected to review the agreements at its next meeting on Aug. 2. The settlements are part of landmark legal challenges designed to hold drug providers and manufacturers accountable for the opioid addiction crisis that has ravaged families and communities.| read more ››

Schumer: Infrastructure Bill Could Give Suffolk Millions to Improve Water Quality

Jul
10
2021

Suffolk County could be eligible to receive millions of roughly $55 billion in federal funding for water quality through the bipartisan infrastructure bill amid an increase in brown tide in Long Island waters, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Saturday at a news conference in Patchogue.

Speaking alongside environmental advocates and local officials overlooking the Great South Bay on Laurel Street, Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said that starting Monday, during negotiations over the bill, he will push the Senate to include funding for federal water infrastructure line items. That would help Suffolk and New York State tap water infrastructure funds to tackle brown tide in local waters.| read more ››

Peter Van Scoyoc Wins Democratic Primary for East Hampton Supervisor

Jun
23
2021

East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc won the Democratic primary for the town's top elected office, while Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and Cate Rogers won the Democratic nominations for two town council seats, unofficial elections results show.

But a count of hundreds of absentee and affidavit ballots in other primary races Tuesday in Nassau and Suffolk counties likely will delay final unofficial results in those contests, election officials said.

Counts of those ballots won’t begin until at least June 29, according to the Nassau and Suffolk County boards of election.| read more ››

Suffolk Lawmakers Approve Bill to Combat Anti-Asian American Discrimination

Jun
22
2021

The Suffolk County Legislature Tuesday night approved a bill designed to combat discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders after an increase nationwide in anti-Asian hate crimes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill was approved by 14 yes votes and the remaining four lawmakers abstaining. It will amend the county's human rights laws to ban discrimination related to the "incorrect and unfounded belief that certain ethnic groups have contributed to the spread of COVID-19," according to the legislation.

The legislation covers discrimination including intimidation, threats, harassment, assault or emotional injury.| read more ››

Suffolk Passes Bill to Remove Racist Covenants from Property Deeds

May
11
2021

The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a bill Tuesday to help homeowners remove racist restrictive covenants from their deeds that barred people of color and religious minorities from living in certain Long Island homes and neighborhoods.

The legislation will create a method to start the process and waive fees to remove discriminatory covenants that, though legally unenforceable, once helped segregate the Island by prohibiting non-white and non-Christian people from buying or renting properties in certain areas.

Those "offensive" covenants remain on countless Long Island deeds because they were common practice, according to language in the bill, which will "get rid of these vestiges of separation," said Legis. Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon) last week.| read more ››