New Commander for Montauk

The Montauk precinct has a new commanding officer. East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo announced on Tuesday during a town board meeting at the Montauk Firehouse that Sgt. Joe Kearney will take on the job, one that has been staffed in the recent past by officers at the rank of lieutenant.

With the recent retirement of Lt. Thomas Grenci, however, coupled with the transfer of Lt. Austin McGuire from the East Hampton force to Sag Harbor Village, to become the department's chief, East Hampton is down to two officers at the lieutenant rank.

But to Chief Sarlo this challenge is actually an opportunity. “Given the level of activity and issues facing Montauk, we decided to put a first-line supervisor in the precinct commander post,” he said yesterday. “Working nights and weekends alongside the officers, supervising the part-time officers and the special directed patrol shifts, Joe will have less administrative responsibilities and less office hours than our previous precinct commanders have in the past.”

The advantage Sergeant Kearney brings, the chief said, is his many years of experience on patrol.

“Our senior staff and I will continue to handle most of the planning and communication with our Montauk residents, along with Joe. The public can still go to the Montauk precinct, which will have a secretary on weekdays, and weekends in the summer, and we will make sure that we maintain open lines of communication with the public.”

Sergeant Kearney, an Army veteran, has served on the East Hampton Town force for 18 years and has been a sergeant since 2009. “He has been a field training officer, defensive tactics instructor, [emergency services unit] team leader, and has overseen our State Liquor Authority enforcement over the past two years,” Chief Sarlo said.

“He brings a great deal of professionalism and dedication to the assignment. He is a quiet leader who will follow through on the focused and directed enforcement plans we put forth last summer.”