All Suffolk Law Enforcement Endorse Romaine for County Exec

Seeing the impacts of cashless bail, defund the police, and the pro-criminal rhetoric of the Democrats firsthand, representatives from all of Suffolk’s law enforcement agencies joined together to endorse Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine for county executive.

“This is a historic day in Suffolk’s history,” said PBA President Noel DiGerolamo, noting that it is the first time all of Suffolk’s police entities have endorsed a Republican for the county’s top spot. “Ed Romaine has a solid record of supporting law enforcement, and we are behind him 100 percent,” he said.

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Surrounded by law enforcement from all levels, Romaine told the group, “I know what the police do every day to keep us safe, and I know what law enforcement personnel need to do their jobs. We are sending a message that Suffolk County is serious about fighting crime. You can’t have a great county if you have people living in fear,” he said in reference to the crime wave sweeping across the state.

“Ed Romaine has been steadfast in objecting to the lunacy coming out of Albany that has caused great misery to the people of this county,” DiGerolamo continued. “He will invest in law enforcement to keep all of Suffolk safe.”

John Becker, president of the Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs Police Benevolent Association, pointed out that the state’s anti-law enforcement atmosphere has made it more difficult to recruit and retain officers. “The importance of this race cannot be overstated,” Becker said. “We stand here united in support of Ed Romaine because of his experience as an elected official. Now is not the time for on the job training. He has been in the trenches and is intimately aware of the issues we collectively face,” the deputy sheriffs president said, adding, “We need the strong and proven leadership of Ed Romaine to invest in our law enforcement and keep Suffolk County safe for all residents.”

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“Public employees want to do their jobs and fulfill their mandate to keep the people safe,” said Dan Levler, the president of Suffolk AME, the union the represents civilian employees at the various police agencies. “Ed Romaine supports the hard-working men and women of this county; he’s demonstrated that throughout his career.” Levler’s union, the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, is the state’s largest public employee organization.

“We had the smallest graduating class of new officers in a very long time,” DiGeralamo said, “and it’s not by chance. This situation was created by politicians, and they should be ashamed of themselves.”

As the President of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, DiGerolamo is also the leader of the Coalition of Suffolk Law Enforcement, which represents all of the agencies throwing their support behind Romaine, including the Superior Officers Association, Probation Officers Association, Police Conference, Detective Association, Detective Investigators PBA, Deputy Sheriff’s PBA, and Corrections Officers Association.

Romaine’s opponent, Democrat Dave Calone, counts experience in the state and federal attorney offices as his crime-fighting credentials, but is seen as weighed down by the pro-criminal stances of the leaders of his party. Outside of law enforcement, he has nailed down support from various other labor unions.