Send him a tweet or tell him what you think in the comments.
Once Lindsay III takes office in January he will have the power to propose and vote on laws that affect the Suffolk County Police Department. As a body, the Suffolk County Legislature oversees the police department and can confirm or reject the county executive's choice for police commissioner. The legislature can also hold hearings and subpoena documents and witnesses.
Lindsay, of Bohemia, is an incoming legislator. He is a regional vice president for a New Jersey-based national insurance broker. He is the son of the late Suffolk Presiding Officer William J. Lindsay.
Thank you for reaching out to me with your survey regarding police misconduct and oversight. The issues that you raise and the reports that you have compiled cannot be taken lightly and should be examined and investigated intensely.
I personally take public safety very seriously and as a newly elected legislator I will be meeting with all levels of government, law enforcement, and my community members to discuss the ways in which we can protect the safety of our residents, improve their quality of life, and also progress socially and economically as a county.
Furthermore, I will work with our police commissioner and our leadership throughout Suffolk County to make sure that if a problem arises, it is handled in an appropriate manner that protects the rights of our citizens and is conducive with our ethical and moral statutes.
Whether increased oversight, public hearings or civilian review boards are the most effective way to review and address complaints of misconduct cannot be answered in a yes or no manner. As an incoming legislator I will be examining the need for increased oversight and assisting with any complaint that a resident informs me about. If we, as a legislature and a community, come to the conclusion that more oversight is necessary then we will act accordingly to ensure that our residents are being served in the best way possible.As to civilian review boards I feel that we currently have many structures in place that give residents the chance to voice their opinions and concerns and if a residents’ input is not adequately addressed I will gladly meet with them and advocate on their behalf. If it comes to my attention that a citizen’s review board is wanted and necessary, I would be open to discuss how we could move forward in implementing one.
Public Hearings are a great way for the residents of Suffolk County to voice their concerns and I encourage people to speak on any issue that they may have at our committee meetings or our general meetings, because it is our job, as elected officials, to listen and work for the best interest of our residents.
We must continually have open conversations between our residents, elected officials, and public safety officers to discuss the best practices in management, enforcement, and public safety. I am very excited to begin my term so that I can examine these issues further while also helping to prevent future conflicts.
What do you think?