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For Sheriff: Toulon Lays Out His Plan

Thu, 10/28/2021 - 11:43

Errol Toulon Jr., a Democrat who was elected to his first term as Suffolk County sheriff in 2017 cross-endorsed by the Conservative Party, says he is seeking re-election this year because he has some “unfinished business” to take care of.

His opponent, William Amato, is on the Nov. 2 ballot but is not actively campaigning, according to Jesse Garcia, chairman of the Suffolk County Republican Committee.

Mr. Toulon said by phone on Tuesday that he wants to continue to build the Sheriff’s Transition and Recovery Team, or START, which helps incarcerated people transition back into life outside of prison. It has been a priority for him since his days working as a corrections officer on Rikers Island, he said.

“When they leave us, it’s important that we connect them to resources — social services, employment opportunities, housing, places to address substance abuse and mental health issues.”

He also wants to continue a partnership with Stony Brook University’s School of Social Welfare Family Reunification Initiative, which aims to strengthen bonds between the incarcerated and their loved ones. “I really feel that we are turning a page,” he said.

Mr. Toulon, a resident of Brookhaven, got his start in law enforcement in 1982 as a New York City corrections officer. He retired from that position in 2004 as a captain, then earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. He spent two years as Suffolk’s deputy county executive for public safety, then returned to New York City as deputy commissioner of operations.

Among his goals are more cultural and social responsiveness to the needs of people of color and to the remote parts of the East End, saying that “my jurisdiction is the entire county. My goal is to reach out to every community.” He is planning more visits to schools to address bullying, vaping, drug use, and gang involvement. He would also like to see more corrections officers trained and civilian staff members hired, a process that stalled during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I take a great pride in what I do in my community, in keeping it safe,” Mr. Toulon said. “I’m extremely proud and passionate to continue for hopefully another four years.”

Long Days on the Fire Line In Orange County

East Hampton and Amagansett firefighters volunteered to head north last week to help fight a 5,000-acre wildfire in Orange County, N.Y., not once but twice, battling unfamiliar terrain to do so. “They fight fires completely differently than we do when we have a brush fire,” the Amagansett chief said.

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Awards for Good Policing in Handgun Scuffle

“It could have gone worse. We’re lucky that I have officers here that weren’t shot,” said Police Chief Jeff Erickson at Friday’s East Hampton Village Board meeting. Chief Erickson was recognizing Sgt. Wayne Gauger and Officers John Clark and Robbie Greene for a traffic stop on Aug. 31 that turned into a scuffle and the eventual confiscation of an illegal gun.

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On the Police Logs 11.21.24

A Three Mile Harbor Drive resident reported an online dating scam on the afternoon of Nov. 16. Somehow, said the 80-year-old man, a person on the dating platform had gotten his phone number and demanded $2,000 from him, threatening to tell his family he was using the site if he did not comply. Police told the man to block the number.

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Head-On Collision on Route 27

A 2-year-old was taken to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital following a head-on collision Saturday afternoon on State Route 27 near Upland Road in Montauk.

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