News

Sheriff's Honors for One Who Dreamed of Joining the Ranks

May
20
2022

Two years after Philip Joseph “PJ” Fusaro’s death due to COVID-19, his memory continues to live on as family, schoolchildren and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office celebrated his legacy Friday in his hometown of Shirley.

Donna and Phil Fusaro, PJ’s parents, were at times holding back tears during a ceremony at Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School as Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. presented them with a special badge and posthumously named their son an honorary K-9 deputy sheriff.

Fusaro, a horticulturalist and animal lover who family members say was beloved in his community and dreamed of joining the sheriff's office K-9 unit, died May 3, 2020, after battling COVID-19. He was 25.

Donna Fusaro, a teaching assistant at Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School, told Newsday after the ceremony that her son was “the love of my life.”

“My son was the most selfless, giving person you would want to meet,” his mother said. “He was the guy that you called when you were in trouble at 3 o’clock in the morning and he would get out of bed and go, ‘No problem, I’ll be right there.’ He was just that guy. He was just amazing.”| read more ››

New York Sheriff Launches Database for Finding Lost Pets, Hopes it Will Become a National Model

May
4
2022

A New York sheriff is looking to make a nationwide impact with his new initiative for keeping pets in the community safe.

On Tuesday, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. introduced a new database to help local pet parents quickly locate missing animals.

The Lost Pet Network will enroll pets into a database and provide owners with a printed pet identification card. If an enrolled four-legged friend goes missing, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office will send an alert with the pet's information to deputy sheriffs and local municipalities. Information about the lost pet will also be shared on social media accounts to aid in the animal's return.

Suffolk County sheriff creates database for missing pets, hopes it will become a national model

"Centralized and organized because right now there is nothing in Suffolk County to really assist pets that are lost," Toulon said during a briefing in the Town of Islip. "Not only would we alert our staff that may be on patrol in certain areas, but also we would post it on social media, we would notify shelters."| read more ››

Suffolk Sheriff Toulon Appointed to NYS Municipal Police Training Council

Apr
1
2022

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. was recently appointed by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to the New York State Municipal Police Training Council. The eight-member Municipal Police Training Council promulgates minimum training requirements for newly-appointed police and peace officers and a course of training for police officers appointed to supervisory positions.

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Hochul to serve on the New York State Municipal Police Training Council,” said Sheriff Toulon. “I look forward to the opportunity and to be able to bring to the table my knowledge of state-of-the-art training techniques to help ensure that our law enforcement officials across the State are best equipped to protect and serve their communities.”| read more ››

Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. Sworn in to a Second Term

Mar
18
2022

Space in the Yaphank Correctional Facility will be used to expand a program that helps find jobs and homes for inmates after their release while doubling as a first-of-its-kind intelligence network where officials can share information with leaders of other jails, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon. Jr. announced Friday as he was sworn into office for his second term.

Toulon, the county's 67th sheriff, also announced plans to form a pair of task forces focusing on mental health and substance abuse among inmates and the community at large. Statistics show that 60% of the state's inmates have been diagnosed with mental health issues.

"There is both a drug and mental health epidemic on Long Island and I want to do all I can to help solve it," Toulon said during his inaugural address in Brentwood. "In the coming months, I will be creating a robust mental health initiative to try to expand access to services, drug and rehabilitation programs inside and outside of the jail to help put an end to this tragic cycle."| read more ››

Suffolk Sheriff's Office Donates Hundreds of Bulletproof Body Armor to Ukraine

Mar
7
2022

The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is donating nearly 450 pieces of bulletproof body armor to Ukraine.
The four pallets of armor will be donated along with medical supplies, sleeping bags and other essentials.
The necessities were collected during the Long Island-Ukraine Emergency Drive.
"We stand with the people of Ukraine and we want to offer our help any way that we can and I'm proud to announce that the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is able to step up and provide materials that can help keep them safe," says Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.
College Hunks Hauling Junk is delivering the donations to a New York City processing center where it will be shipped to Ukrainians fighting against Russia.| read more ››

Statewide Early Voting Begins Saturday; Here's How to Vote

Oct
18
2021

ALBANY — Early voting, which will include weekend and evening hours, begins Saturday and extends through Oct. 31 at select polling sites in counties statewide.
Voters will be able to cast ballots on local races and on five statewide ballot proposals.
Here's how to participate in the increasingly popular method of casting ballots for the Nov. 2 election:
In Suffolk County, early voting begins Saturday and Sunday with polls open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening hours begin Tuesday. Suffolk County will have 12 early voting sites. The locations and hours are available at https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/BOE/Early-Voting-Sites-11-2-...| read more ››

My name is Candace Hall and I’m running for Southold Town Clerk

Aug
31
2021

My large extended family has deep roots in Greenport and Southold Town. We come from humble beginnings with heavy ties to the church. My maternal grandparents had 13 kids and somehow, someway, my grandmother, fondly known in the community as "Bootsie", found time to make what seemed like every single person in our entire town feel like they were one of her babies.

When her children were of school age, she went to work at Head Start as a cook, extending her reach within the community even deeper. Bootsie’s home was open to everyone. Those who weren’t close enough to feel her physical embrace were added to her list of people she wrote letters to. She made it her business...| 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 ››

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 ››

Southold Democrats Nominate Candidates for Southold Town Office

Southold Town Council Zoom Convention
Mar
3
2021

The Southold Town Democrats are proud to introduce their candidates to run for election in Southold Town in 2021, nominated at a virtual convention held on March 2nd, 2021.

These six candidates will bring needed transparency, accountability, productivity, energy, experience, and diversity into Town Hall, strengthening the leadership and expertise of our town for all the residents of Southold.

The Screening Committee interviewed dozens of phenomenal candidates this year. They spent over 24 hours meeting and deliberating on the best representation for this town out of a pool of highly qualified residents. We were honored to interview half a dozen people for Town Council seats- respected business and civic leaders from the community came forward to be considered for these...| read more ››