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D. None of the Above: Pondering the end of our family’s Little League era

by Daniel Dunaief - April 21, 2021

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By Daniel Dunaief

About 16 years ago, I stood on the warning track and held my then one-year old son high in my arms above the blue, outfield fence in right center field of the old Yankee Stadium. We asked him to extend his glove as if he had leapt in the air to catch a home run.

Now, as he prepares to graduate from high school, my wife and I are pondering the end of an era filled with the numerous triumphs and challenges of youth sports.

In the last few weeks, while we have awaited the time outs, batting glove adjustments, pauses to look for signs from the catcher, and warm up tosses by each pitcher, we have been replaying our own montage from his years on a baseball field.

A few years after his Yankee Stadium debut, our son donned a baggy uniform that hung from his slight four-year old frame, standing with his left arm out, hoping to catch a ball I tossed with a slight arc toward him.

As the years advanced, his skill set and intensity for the game grew more rapidly than the developmental rules of the sport.

Station-to-station baseball was an abomination for him. When he was six, he caught a ball at shortstop, tagged the runner jogging from second and stepped on third for, what he considered, an unassisted triple play. He tossed the ball to the mound and jogged off the field, only to hear that everyone hadn’t batted so he had to stay on the field. I can still see the disappointed look on his face as all the runners moved to the next base.

Every moment wasn’t athletic heaven. He struggled to find the strike zone when he was pitching, swung and missed at pitches he knew he could hit and suffered through the inconsistent coaching and advice of everyone from his father to the parents of his teammates to semi-professionals eager to give back to the community.

Despite playing a game of failure, he continued to venture to fields close and far for another opportunity to compete, get some exercise and join teammates who have become long-time friends.

He learned how to pick up his friends after their moment in the spotlight didn’t end the way they wanted.

He took us to places way off a tour guide’s map of the eastern United States, as we drove from single traffic-light towns, with their one gas station and one diner, all the way up to Cooperstown.

We paced along frigid sidelines, hoping darkness or snow would grant us a reprieve from frozen bleachers and numb toes. We drove on roads in which the car thermometer read 113 degrees.

When he was old enough, he stood on a 90-foot diamond, looking from third to first as if he needed binoculars to see his teammate and a strong wind to help his throw reach the target.

As he got taller and stronger, the distance became more manageable.

As parents, we made our share of errors on the sidelines and in the stands. While we told him it was the effort that mattered, not the result, he could see the joy in our faces after a win and the slumped shoulders after a tough loss.

While he’ll undoubtedly play other games down the road, that road won’t be as close as the ones we’ve traveled together.

In a recent game, our son raced back and caught a ball against the wall, in a place on the field similar to the one where he extended his tiny glove at Yankee Stadium. We have shared such a long and inspired journey between those two mirrored moments.

Between You and Me: Labor shortages and high unemployment — what gives?

by Leah Dunaief - April 21, 2021

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By Leah Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Why, if there are 9,700,000 Americans looking for work now, some six percent of our population, are there so many signs outside businesses seeking helpers? Granted, many of those signs are in front of restaurants looking for waiters and shops needing salespeople, service industries in the main, but why the disconnect? And this is not just a regional problem but one in large cities like New York, villages like ours, as discussed at a recent local chamber of commerce meeting, and even rural communities.

The situation could have some unwelcome consequences as the economy tries to recover. “It could act as a brake on growth and cause unnecessary business failures, long lines at remaining businesses and rising prices,” according to an article in last Saturday’s The New York Times, entitled “Businesses Challenged to Fill Jobs.”

The story, written by Neil Irwin, goes on to offer some possible answers. First is the suggestion that benefits are too generous. “The government is making it easy for people to stay home and get paid. You can’t really blame them much. But it means we have hours to fill and no one who wants to work.” That’s a quote from a pub owner in upstate Baldwinsville, New York, that appeared in the Syracuse Post-Standard and was reprinted in the NYT.

Some people can make as much or more, thanks to the expanded weekly unemployment payments and the various stimulus cash that has been delivered by the government, at least for awhile. With the reawakening of restaurants and services now, there are more jobs than applicants, which doesn’t drive workers to seek work, compared to the opposite, when the pandemic first hit and jobs were disappearing. The recipients of the cash are doing what economists hoped they would do: spending it. That encourages businesses to reopen, but without enough help. Hence the problem. But it may cure itself when expanded benefits run out in September.

There are other reasons workers may not be inclined to rush back into the workforce. Some, especially those with public-facing jobs, may be afraid of getting sick themselves or perhaps bringing the virus home to vulnerable family members. There does seem to be a relationship between vaccinations of people and a rise in their employment rate, according to the NYT. Researchers have found that a “10-percentage-point increase in those fully vaccinated results in a 1.1 percentage-point increase in their employment.” It would make sense that vaccinated people are more comfortable serving the public.

Here is another possible explanation for the labor shortage. Some of the workers are still needed at home, especially women who might be caring for children, some taking classes remotely, or elderly members of their family. The Times goes on to quote a survey indicating that 6,300,000 million people “were not working because of a need to care for a child not in a school or day care center; and a further 2,100,000 were caring for an older person.” Many of those people, especially women, have disappeared from the rolls of the unemployed and are not even counted any longer. The answer here, as in everywhere else, is in conquering the virus and establishing herd immunity so schools and day care centers can open.

For those businesses that have thrived during the pandemic and have been able to raise the wages they pay workers, like Amazon or construction companies, there is less of a supply problem. But those businesses take away potential workers from industries like restaurants, with thin profit margins. And those workers may not return if they have found better berths for themselves elsewhere.

These issues will sort themselves out eventually, as public health improves and supply-and-demand comes to equilibrium. But one thing is certain. The return to any sort of “normal” will not happen without bumps in the road.

Long Island brides fight for different wedding regulations

by TBR Staff - April 20, 2021

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bride conference, kimberly brown — Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio joined Brides of Long Island founder Heather Cunningham asking the state to lessen wedding restrictions. Photo by Kimberly Brown

By Kimberly Brown

The Brides of Long Island organization, state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) and other Republican lawmakers gathered at the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge last Friday, April 16, to call for action by Gov. Andrew D. Cuomo (D) to lessen the overly restrictive COVID-19 regulations on weddings.

Some of the state’s pandemic regulations include up to 150 guests or 50% of a venue’s capacity whichever is smaller with mandatory COVID-19 testing, distanced dancing in designated areas, congregating only at guests’ assigned tables, and wearing face coverings unless while eating or drinking.

Brides of Long Island founder Heather Cunningham. Photo by Kimberly Brown

Heather Cunningham, founder of The Brides of Long Island — a website and Facebook group that consists of thousands of brides across the Island — expressed her concern for the overmanagement of regulations the state has put in place, causing brides to postpone their weddings to unknown future dates.

“We take for granted that the world will wait for us, but time can take away a father who is supposed to dance with his daughter and it can send a fiancé halfway across the world in early deployment,” Cunningham said, “It may be easy for elected officials like Governor Cuomo to say that weddings are nothing but parties, but weddings are so much more than a party, they are the days that connect us to our roots, beliefs, values and to each other.”

Questioning the science behind the regulations around weddings, Giglio said the state government has gone too far when it comes to preventing COVID-19 in large gatherings.

“Honestly, does the virus pack up and leave after midnight or 1 a.m.?” Giglio said, “Because that’s what the governor wants you to do at your wedding — pack up and leave.”

Since the shutdown began last year, wedding businesses have been one of the many industries that have taken a hard hit financially.

The wedding industry on Long Island generates an estimated $6 million a year in sales tax, as well as being one of the state’s largest employers.

John Salkowsky, owner of Silverfox Studios located in Lindenhurst, said the wedding industry has been brought to its knees, and lessening restrictions will help bring the businesses back to life.

“People make their decisions at the ballot box, and hopefully the governor will hear that and realize that by doing the right thing and lifting these restrictions will do great justice to this industry,” he said.

Ronkonkoma business owner of Absolute Entertainment, Kevin McClafferty, said planning a wedding is supposed to be one of the most joyous experiences for couples.

However, he has found that his clients are overly stressed when trying to plan their wedding around the state’s restrictions.

“A successful day at work for us is seeing exciting, smiling, happy faces — no masks,” he said.

Pointing out the flaws in the state’s regulations and restrictions on weddings, McClafferty mentioned a few of the over-managed rules he observed while on the job.

One of his observations included the state’s enforcement of “dance boxes,” where guests are allowed to use the dance floor in restricted zones with only the immediate members of their party.

He said this is one of the most over-managed of all the reopening strategies.

“It’s a good idea in theory, but a terrible idea in application and needs to be eliminated now,” McClafferty said.

Brides who joined Cunningham last Friday also expressed their disappointment in not being able to plan their weddings properly, with some brides being forced to cancel or relocate their weddings to other states in order to celebrate appropriately.

“We just want fair treatment.” Brittany Burton, an upcoming bride, said, “The people who are making the rules don’t see behind the scenes or worry about financials. They see money on their end before us.”

With over 6,500 signatures as of April 20 on Cunningham’s BOLI petition, titled Lessen the Overly Restrictive COVID-19 Regulations on Long Island Weddings, the brides of Long Island are waiting to see if their voices will be heard.

Northport football team dealt first loss, knocked out for conference title

by TBR Staff - April 20, 2021

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By Steven Zaitz

Often times, a football game is just a football game.

But there are instances when it is a lot like chess, with the guys in the headsets matching wits and probing for weakness. Other times, the game is just an all-out street brawl, with both sides trading haymakers until one is left standing.

On rare and glorious occasions, it is all three.

Saturday’s Suffolk Conference II semifinal game between the Northport Tigers and the West Islip Lions was just such an occasion, as West Islip survived a late Northport rally and emerged with a 21-14 victory. The game featured wild swings of momentum and emotion, bloodied uniforms, in-game adjustments, and impossible escapes.

The outcome having enormous consequences for both sides — a trip to the Conference Championship and a chance to own a piece of the Suffolk County Crown — only added to the drama. The pressure was palpable on the field, on the sidelines and in the bleachers.

West Islip senior Joe Constantino, who is listed as a quarterback, but does most of his damage on the ground and with his brain, rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns to lead West Islip.

“Joe is a special athlete,” said Northport Head Football Coach Pat Campbell. “He’s probably the best running back in Suffolk County and he’s playing quarterback. He’s got a really nice lean and as good a tackling team as we are, we could never get a full shot on him. That’s what they always said about [NFL greats] Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. You could never hit them square. That’s how Joe runs.”

But Constantino would have to wait to take center stage, as West Islip Head Coach Steve Mileti elected to kick to Northport to open the game — a big early gamble by Mileti because Northport had scored on 75% of its first possessions in the regular season. Mileti’s risk was rewarded.

After a three and out and a poor punt gave West Islip the ball at the Tiger 30-yard line, in came Constantino.

“Joe is probably the best kid I have ever coached,” Mileti said. He’s just a magician with the way he handles everything and he’s amazing to watch.”

That is quite a statement, as Mileti has been around the Lions program for 30 years, first as a star linebacker and then an assistant coach starting in 1997. He took the reigns as head coach in 2009 and he has built a program that is a perennial winner, developing many fine players over the years.

On third down and six, Constantino faked a jet-sweep handoff to running back Ryan Behrens. He then burst through the middle just past the fingertips of Northport linebacker Owen Johansen and scampered to the Tiger two-yard line. Three plays later, he outflanked the Tiger defense and walked into the end zone to give West Islip a 7-0 lead. It was the first time the Tigers had ever trailed in a game this year.

“A lot of bad things happened in the first five minutes of that game,” Campbell said. “We had a missed assignment, a bad snap and a bad punt on our first drive and that set them up. When you’re playing a good team like that, you can’t do those types of things.”

Against Constantino who now drew first blood, this is especially true.

“A lot of people call our team small and it’s true that we are smaller in size than most teams, so any little thing we can take advantage of, we have to go try and get,” said the humble superstar senior Constantino. “Watching film, seeing what the other team does is very important because so often that stuff shows up in games.”

After another Northport three and out, the Lions took over at midfield. On a fourth and two play from the Tiger 35, Constantino used a hard count to get right end Cole Ronan to jump offsides and give the Lions a free first down — a costly mistake.

Eight plays later, Konrad Maciejny scored from the one-yard line. The Tigers were in a two-touchdown hole, the game was well into the second quarter and they had yet to gain a first down. Constantino had landed another punch and the Tigers were reeling.

Northport and West Islip would go into halftime separated by 14 points. The Tigers were wounded for the first time since 2019, but would they lay down and die?

“During halftime, we definitely talked about being more disciplined,” Campbell said. “It was about a matter of re-focusing and cleaning up the little mistakes that were costing us. Sometimes I can tell by the look in their eyes that the kids become a little shell-shocked in a situation like that. It’s my job to remind them what they’re capable of.”

Campbell is referring to the Tigers greatest strengths — stopping the opposing offense and running the ball. They stopped the Lions on three plays to start the third quarter. Anthony Canales had one of his 22 (yes, 22) tackles on this drive and almost caught Constantino in the West Islip end zone. This was a game of so many ‘almosts’ for the Tigers and their hardy supporters.

After an 11-yard punt return by Rafe Carner, Northport was set up deep in Lion territory.

On the Tigers second play from scrimmage in the second half, running back Rocco Stola ran a sweep left. He saw enemy shirts in the hole he was supposed to hit, bounced it outside and in a flash, was gone. A lightning strike 27-yard touchdown, and the Tigers were suddenly back in business, down by seven with a whole half of football remaining.

“That play was supposed to go inside the tackle, but the blocking developed where I thought I could get to the outside and I did,” Stola said. “It got us back in the game and swung the momentum to us.”

It was now Constantino’s turn to make a counter move.

On the next drive, he ran the ball four times for 40 yards and completed a pass for 20 more, moving to the Northport 10-yard line. On one of those runs, he was swung down hard by the Tigers’ massive sophomore Johansen for a loss of five but bounced up off the artificial turf and called the next play. Constantino was pounded hard by all 11 Tiger defenders all afternoon, who are all big, fast, and mean.

“He’s what? 165, 170 pounds?” Campbell asked rhetorically. “But he is tough, and he gets right up every single time.”

After Carner made a splendid, touchdown-saving, open field tackle on Behrens at the Tiger 10-yard line, Constantino again showed his moxie, instincts and escapability.

On a play designed to go left, Ronan sealed it off so the slippery quarterback cut right. Ronan chased but Constantino ran away from him and fellow lineman Dan Lugo. He angled to the goal line and pierced through nose tackle Ryan Farrington and Stola like they were twin turnstiles, and then bounced off linebacker Andrew Miller and Carner. He kissed the end zone pylon with the nose of football after a headlong dive. It was a feat of ballet dancer and bulldozer all wrapped up in a 10-yard touchdown jaunt.

And just as Northport had thought they wrested momentum to start the half, Constantino had wrested it back, restoring West Islip’s two touchdown lead with a huge chunk of clock now gone.

“I immediately saw that defensive end [Ronan] coming at me, so I knew I had to cut back to the right,” Constantino said. “I saw a little opening and as soon as I did, I caught a glimpse of the pylon out of the corner of my eye and went for it. It worked out well.”

For West Islip, yes. Not so much for Northport.

“We should have stopped him on that play,” said Canales, who is a candidate for both the Collatta and Burnett awards presented to most outstanding linebacker and defensive player in Suffolk County. “We had four or five chances to get him, but he’s a shifty runner. Hats off to him.”

“We came out in the second half and flipped the script, but then they flipped it right back and we were running out of time,” Campbell said. “They stacked the box against us, and at some point, we had to adjust our game plan.”

The Tigers, whose vaunted running attack averaged 300 yards rushing per game in the regular season, had a grand total of 81 against West Islip. Gaining the first move advantage by scoring two early touchdowns freed the Lions to deploy more defenders closer to the line of scrimmage, taking away the strong suit of Northport’s offense.

But with a little over a quarter to go, would the Northport Tigers fight back or simply throw in the towel or start mixing in some throws? Anyone familiar with Northport athletics knows the answer, and no greater example of this fighting spirit came in the form of a fourth down desperation run by Rocco Stola.

With the Tigers facing a fourth down and two from their own 41 and the clock whittling away any realistic chance for a Tiger comeback, it was do or die for Northport. Lined up as a slot receiver, Stola came in motion to the right on a play called Wing Left 46 Truck. Immediately pursued by four Lions at the snap of the ball, Rocco simply outran them but was ceding ground way behind the line of scrimmage in doing so. He cut upfield sharply, rolled out of the tackle of a fifth defender before diving headlong out of bounds for a tremendously hard-fought gain of four. The Tigers still had a pulse.

“There was no way they were stopping me,” Stola said. “I knew the situation and they chewed up a ton of clock and it got late early for us, but I was getting that first down no matter what.”

“What a great run by Rocco,” Campbell said. “We didn’t block the edge as well as we should have, but he got outside and gave himself enough room to belly back and beat three or four of their guys and then spun past another. Incredible.”

But with less than five minutes to go and down by two scores, the Tigers would now need to put the ball in the air on almost every play. Quarterback Conner Gallagher, who did not complete a pass in the first half, now held the fate of the game in his hands. He accepted the challenge.

Gallagher hit wide receiver Tristan Triolo with a 10-yard pass and then led Stola perfectly on an eight-yard slant pattern that the speedy running back turned into a 40-yard gain. With a pep now in his step, he scrambled for a first down and then hit Carner in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard score. That cut the lead to 21-14 with a minute and a half to go.

With only one timeout remaining, the Tigers were forced to try an onside kick. West Islip recovered, took a knee, and the game was suddenly just over. Constantino and Mileti executed their magic act of a game plan perfectly and made the game, and Northport’s dream of a county title, disappear.

“They had a great game plan, ran time off the clock and took advantage of our mistakes,” Campbell said. “The total yardage was almost exactly even [188 to 174 for the Lions] and it was just a great, defensive, hard-fought football game.”

Coach Mileti echoed that last sentiment.

“Football is just a special game and we saw it out there today,” Mileti said. “It was two great programs giving everything they had, and we were lucky enough to come out on top.”

For the first time this year, it was the Tigers whose luck had run out.

Tigers are still playing!

Despite the lost to West Islip, the Northport Tigers football team will host Half Hollow Hills East this Saturday at 1 p.m.

This game will determine a Section XI, League III champion and will be the final game of the Tigers’ season. The original match that was scheduled between the two team back in March was canceled due to COVID-19. The Thunderbirds lost to Bellport in their semifinal game, setting up the opportunity for this game. Bellport will play West Islip for the second time in three weeks in West Islip, the winner capturing the Conference II championship.

Car enthusiasts welcome back fundraiser in Commack

by Rita J. Egan - April 19, 2021

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The pandemic may have caused it to be canceled last year, but the annual Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser came back stronger than ever Sunday, April 18, in the Miller’s Ale House parking lot in Commack.

Throughout the late morning and early afternoon, hundreds viewed the classic cars on display. Hosted by East to West Classic Cars, the event raises money for the national nonprofit Hope For The Warriors, which provides assistance to combat wounded service members, their families, and families of those killed in action. East to West Classic Cars president Dean Nichol said the club has had a relationship with the nonprofit for 10 years, and 91 cents on every dollar donated goes to the cause. Nichol said this year the event was so popular that they ran out of room after 700 car owners showed up to display their vehicles. He added that 30% more than 2019 was raised for the cause.

The event also included entertainment by the band RPM and Friends.

According to a press release from the car organization, Robin Kelleher, president and founder of Hope for the Warriors, was in attendance April 18.

“I left with tears in my eyes as I drove away, after such a tough year in 2020 finally some normalcy,” Kelleher said.

Editorial: Young people and the vaccine

by TBR Staff - April 19, 2021

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Every morning when we wake up, we’re reminded that we are still enduring this global pandemic.

Whether you think so or not, everyone’s lives have been impacted by it. Some people have lost loved ones to COVID-19, some have gotten so sick they suffer severe trauma and some haven’t seen their families in over a year. Beyond the physical, businesses have suffered financially, some even closing their doors for the last time.

But luckily the vaccine has lifted the weight off a lot of shoulders — especially for the young people in our community.

Now that New York State has opened the vaccines to people ages 16 and over, more and more high schoolers and college students are looking to get the jab.

And we think that’s wonderful. They are trusting science and doing so to protect not only themselves, but their elderly or high-risk loved ones.

We want things to go back to normal for everyone, but the high schoolers specifically.

Remember last year when the Class of 2020 missed out on their final high school sports, senior trips, proms and graduations?

Some of them have even been robbed of the college experience of living in a dorm, taking classes in a lecture hall and meeting new people.

If we as a whole do not band together to combat this virus, then the classes of 2022, ’23, and ’24 may miss all those key lifetime moments, too.

The Class of 2021 has already lost their junior year — and most likely will not have the same “normal” experiences this spring as the rest of us had.

We know the unknown is terrifying, and people may not agree with getting a vaccine.

But is it worth not getting vaccinated? To constantly live in fear of the virus, or to not trust the medical professionals who saw death every day for more than 365 days?

We don’t think so.

We are grateful and commend these young people for getting their shots.

The more people who do it, the more we’ll all be able to live as we did before.

U.S. senators advocate to president for student debt forgiveness

by TBR Staff - April 19, 2021

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By Chris Cumella

On a conference call with New York college students last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) presented his plan to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for federal student loan borrowers.

The plan is derived from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), who proposed national debt forgiveness as a promise in her presidential campaign. Both Warren and Schumer’s joint plan involves using a presidential executive to nullify student debt up to $50,000.

“College should be a ladder up,” Schumer said during the call. “But student debt weighs people down, it is an anchor, and we have to do something about it.”

President Joe Biden (D) has the executive authority to substantially cancel student loan debt for students through the Higher Education Act, according to Schumer. This would also bypass the requirement to present the motion to Congress.

Biden has said that he supported alleviating students of loan debt up to $10,000, and now the call to action is being echoed loudly by his fellow Democratic Party members.

On his first day in office, the president addressed the ongoing dilemma regarding student debt, where his plan was to extend the pause on federal student loan payments and keeping the interest rate at 0% through the end of September.

The United States national student loan debt has accumulated at an alarming rate. An Experian survey indicated the total amount reached a record high of $1.57 trillion in 2020, an increase of about $166 billion since 2019.

Nearly 2.4 million New Yorkers owe $89.5 billion in federal student loans as of March 2020, Schumer said. The average New Yorker owes $34,600 in student loans, greater than the national average of $32,700.

To relieve loan borrowers of their debts, Schumer mentioned that if the federal government forgave debts up to $50,000, it would greatly bounce the economy. He detailed how instead of repaying their loans, people can instead allocate their money for other immediate and urgent payments, as well as leisure spending.

Schumer told conference attendees that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes roughly $2.6 billion for New York’s colleges and universities, with half of the allocations distributed as financial aid to students in addressing hardships brought about by COVID-19.

Some of the local institutions benefiting from the American Rescue Plan for “estimated minimum amount for student grants” were listed by Schumer during the conference call: City College $23.6 million, CUNY Queens College $25.8 million, Syracuse University $15.4 million, SUNY Buffalo $31.7 million and Stony Brook University $26.8 million.

Schumer also made an urgent request for the call participants, primarily college students, to stay informed by reading local and student-run newspapers. He likewise reinforced the importance of those attending the conference to take a call to action to write, call and email Biden and get their friends and family to do so to spread awareness.

“Student loan payments are on pause, but they are not going away if we don’t do something once the pandemic is over,” Schumer said. “These debts are just going to keep piling up.”

Vaccine appointments available at Mount Sinai senior center

by Press Release - April 15, 2021

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Healthcare cure concept with a hand in blue medical gloves holdi — Photo from Deposit Photos

Vaccine appointments will available Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center located at 739 NY-25A in Mount Sinai for people aged 50 and over.

The office of Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) can help interested residents register for an appointment by calling 631-451-6963.

Geraldine Hart to step down as SCPD commissioner

by Rita J. Egan - April 15, 2021

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Geraldine-Hart-Police-Commissioner-022218-petroski20180222_0038w — Police commissioner Geraldine Hart. File photo

On April 14, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart announced she was stepping down from the position.

The announcement comes three years after she took over the role Tim Sini left vacant when he began his term as Suffolk County district attorney. Hart has accepted the position of Hofstra University’s director of Public Safety. According to Hofstra’s website, she will begin this summer.

Hart, who is a 21-year FBI veteran, was the 14th commissioner of SCPD and the first female police commissioner in Suffolk’s history.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, Chief Stuart Cameron will serve as acting commissioner until Hart’s replacement is found.

New SCPD officers sworn in

by TBR Staff - April 15, 2021

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scpd 1, kimberly brown — New Suffolk County Police officers were sworn in this week at the academy in Brentwood. Photo by Kimberly Brown

By Kimberly Brown

A total of 54 new recruits were sworn in by Suffolk County officials in Brentwood police academy, Monday, April 12.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and county Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart were responsible for swearing in the second portion of the class, one that had the highest percentage of minorities in the history of the county.

The first class, holding 50 recruits, was sworn in March 29. With a total of 104 recruits from all over Suffolk County, including eight women, 28% are minorities and 10 are fluent in Spanish.

“Being a law enforcement officer is a crucial role in our society,” Bellone said. “So first let me say thank you for your willingness to stand up and serve your community and being willing to take on the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer.”

Almost half the recruiting class had prior law enforcement experience and one-third of the class are military veterans.

Bellone expressed his anticipation for the recruits to begin their 30-day training.

Special recognition was given to the good Samaritans, a retired NYPD officer and a Marine, who did not hesitate to offer assistance to Officer Christopher Racioppo in his time of need after a traffic stop stabbing in Patchogue Saturday.

“Officers responded immediately and relied on their training, the quality training that they received here in this academy to make the critical, split-second decisions that needed to be made that very well may have saved his life,” Hart said.

Hart welcomed the new class in taking their next step into a life of service as they embark on their new careers in law enforcement.

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