May 2014

Newsletter Publication of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

These days, it seems that more and more people have a family member with Autism, or know someone who is a caregiver to someone with a  cognitive impairment.  

Caregivers of these individuals face many unique stresses, and some live with the constant fear that their child, or the adult they are caring for, could wander off at any time.

While nothing replaces attentiveness, Project Lifesaver could be of help under these circumstances.  Project Lifesaver is a wristband worn by individuals that emits a unique signal. In the event that person ever goes missing, the County's Deputy Sheriffs can locate the signal and find the missing person, typically within 30 minutes.

I will be hosting an informational session about Project Lifesaver along with Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine on Tuesday, May 13th from 7-8 pm at the Brookhaven Town Hall Auditorium in Farmingville.  Click here for more information.  

Please pass this information along to someone you know who could benefit from Project Lifesaver.  

As always, I welcome your suggestions, photos and story ideas for upcoming issues. Send me an email anytime.

VINCENT  F. DeMARCO
Suffolk County Sheriff

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Bob received a ballistic vest thanks to a non-profit organization, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. A $950 donation was made to the charity by the Romano Family in memory of William F. Romano, retired Decorated Detective and member of New York City Police Department Elite Crime Scene Unit.

Sheriff DeMarco joined New York State Senator Phil Boyle at a public hearing on the heroin epidemic on April 8th at Suffolk Community College in Brentwood.  The Senator, who organized the panel, invited Sheriff DeMarco to participate on a panel to provide expert testimony on the issue from a law enforcement perspective.

Sheriff DeMarco has been a vocal proponent of alternative-to-incarceration treatment programs for substance abusers convicted of non-violent crimes.  He also started various drug prevention programs, such as "Test, Don't Guess" and the STOPPED initiative.  The Sheriff's Office has also been active in presenting information on the heroin and opioid epidemic to community groups and at high schools.  

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office made a recent presentation on the heroin and opioid epidemic on April 22, 2014 at Joshua’s Place in Southampton.

The program highlighted the personal stories and faces of addiction, including the story of Gabriel Phillippe who, at age 15, died in 2010 as a result of a drug addiction.  Gabriel’s family has held an annual memorial ceremony each year on the anniversary of his passing to spread awareness about addiction, and in the hopes of helping other families and saving lives.

The Sheriff's Office participates in the memorial ceremony each year. 

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Gabriel Phillippe, and so many of our young people, whose lives ended prematurely due to drug addiction.  We offer these presentations throughout Suffolk County to make parents aware of the problem and to help them recognize the signs of drug abuse,” stated Sheriff Vincent DeMarco.

When Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco began offering “Youth Enlightenment” personal jail tours in 2010 for parents and their at-risk youth, he didn’t realize the impact it would have on the teenage participants.  “We wanted to show young people the realities of jail: the loud sounds of cells clanking shut, the lack of privacy, the noises,  and we wanted these youth to come away with a strong feeling that jail was not a place they wanted to be,” stated DeMarco.  He added, “But what we learned over time by giving these tours is that the parents of these defiant kids really need support.  The Correction Officers who run these tours have become a resource for parents who don’t know where else to turn for help.”

The personal jail tours are available to Suffolk County residents and their children over the age of 13. When someone requests a personal jail tour for their teen through the Sheriff’s website, it will initiate a call from a Correction Officer who will often talk with the parent about the problems they are having with their child, and an appointment is made to visit the Riverhead Correctional Facility, in a group setting or individually.

Once they arrive at the jail, the youth and their parents will learn about the day-to-day life inside the correctional facility.  After the introduction, the Correction Officer will show them the crowded holding cells and walk through different housing areas.  The tour ends in the jail’s chapel area where inmates will talk frankly with the youth about how their own poor decisions led to incarceration. 

“A lot of the kids and their parents are very emotional following the jail tour, and it undoubtedly leads many of these teens to reconsider how their behavior is leading them down the wrong path.   I would urge parents to consider taking their teens on a jail tour if they are exhibiting very defiant behavior, and to do it before it’s too late.” stated DeMarco. 

To request a jail tour, or for more information about Sheriff’s Office programs, visit us online.  

Tune in to LI NEWS RADIO to hear Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco's weekly radio segments.  Topics change each week and range from how to safeguard personal information from identity thieves to how to react if ever confronted with a violent crime.

Sheriff DeMarco recently presented Certificates of Appreciation to four students at the Riverhead Eastern Suffolk BOCES Culinary Arts Program, along with their instructor, Chef Thomas Hashagen.   He also presented a proclamation to Barbara Egloff, a Divisional Administrator for BOCES and a member of the Sheriff’s Youth Reentry Task Force. 

The group was honored for their work on the “Dine and Discuss Initiative”, which provides parents of current and former incarcerated youth an opportunity to meet with members of the Sheriff’s staff, correction officers from the county jail, and educators to discuss their concerns and how to best help their children be successful when they are released from jail.  The culinary arts students, under the direction of their instructor, volunteer to prepare dinner for the group during the monthly meetings.  The program was initiated by Barbara Egloff, who has spearheaded educational reforms at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility during the last two years.