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Your feedback, questions and suggestions are appreciated. Emails can be sent to me at Suffolk_Sheriff@suffolkcountyny.gov, and dont forget to visit us online at www.suffolksheriff.com.
Be safe, and enjoy this first issue of On Guard and In Focus. Warm regards,
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Riverhead assisted the members of the American Legion Hall in East Hampton with a variety of special projects, such as painting, roof repair, and landscaping. SLAP benefits the public and the inmates performing the labor. For some inmates, this vocational experience breaks a cycle of unemployment and criminal behaviors--allowing them to secure and keep meaningful employment after release, stated Sheriff DeMarco.
Page 3 Q. How do gangs recruit? A. Officer Oliver: Organized gangs actually have recruiters who will go out into the schools and to community events, such as basketball games, and recruit members. Kids as young as 12 to 13 years old are commonly targeted by these gang recruiters, and it often begins in middle schools. Q. What can school officials do to fight the problems of gang membership in their schools? A. Officer Oliver: The best thing that school officials can do is not ignore the problem and become educated on gang symbols and lingo so they can easily recognize gang activity in their school districts. School officials, employees and teachers should all be familiar with the signs, symbols and lingo used by gangs. School officials also need to keep the lines of communication open with law enforcement, and especially school resource officers assigned to each district by the local police department. When signs of gangs are present, law enforcement should be made aware at the outset. Q. How does the G.R.E.A.T. Program work to fight gang proliferation in schools and communities? A. Officer Oliver: The G.R.E.A.T. Program is an intervention tool that gives kids the life skills to resist gang involvement. We teach kids they have choices and a responsibility to their communities. The program also helps build trust between law enforcement and youth. Q. How do school officials get more information about the G.R.E.A.T. Program, or request it for their district? A. Officer Oliver: Information is available on the Sheriffs website at www.suffolksheriff.com or by calling (631) 852-3763.
Sheriff DeMarco Presents Scholarships to two Promising Criminal Justice Students On Wednesday February 15th, Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent F. DeMarco joined with the New York State Sheriffs Association Institute in honoring two local students who show promise as future criminal justice leaders. The students, Chris Miklas of Rocky Point and Lauren Norjen of West Babylon (pictured above with Sheriff DeMarco) were selected by Suffolk County Community College to receive the New York State Sheriffs Association Institutes 2011 Criminal Justice Scholarship for their academic excellence and their dedicated pursuit of a career in the field of criminal justice. The students were each awarded a scholarship check in the amount of $250.
The Suffolk County Sheriffs Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program aims to prevent bullying, youthful crimes, violence, drug use, and gang involvement while improving positive relationships among law enforcement, youth and their families. The curriculum emphasizes essential communication and life skills to help kids resist gang pressure and youth violence. Correction Officer Everett Oliver has been teaching the program since its inception in 2007. In this In Focus interview, Officer Oliver discusses the problem of gangs in Suffolk County. , and it is listed under Community Programs. They can make a request for the program through the Online Request Form on the
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(Pictured from left to right) Sheriff DeMarco, Betty-Jean Wrase, Christopher Coverdale and Dr. Frances Brisbane. Dr. Frances Brisbane, Dean of the SUNY Stony Brook School of Social Welfare, along with members of her staff, met with Sheriff DeMarco on March 2, 2012 to discuss plans for a collaborative program with the University to improve outcomes for incarcerated youth upon release.
Community Organizations Represented on the Sheriffs Youth Reentry Task Force Family Service League, Inc. Beginning a New Life, Inc. United Way of Long Island Hope House Ministries Riverhead Central School District North Shore Youth Council Eastern Suffolk BOCES Tri Community and Youth Agency LifeLine Mediation Center Colonial Youth and Family Services, Inc.
On January 5 , 2012, Author of the book, No Room for Vengeance, Victoria Ruvolo (center), a victim of a serious crime committed by a group of young people, spoke to the incarcerated youth about her experience, along with Sheriff DeMarco(standing), Co-Author Rob Goldman (on left) and Carol Carter of the Sunshine Prevention Center (on right).
Sunshine Prevention Center Timothy Hill Childrens Ranch SUNY Stony Brook School of Social Welfare
Page 5 Sheriff DeMarco Tours Hawkins House (circa 1850) On March 2, 2012, Sheriff DeMarco toured the Hawkins House and its grounds in Yaphank to view the ongoing work being done by SLAP (Sheriffs Labor Assistance Program) crews to clean up and refurbish this historic landmark. The Sheriff committed SLAP crews to assist the historical society in refurbishing aspects of the house that have deteriorated through the years. During the past 12 months, inmates have repaired furniture, painted the north side of the house, repaired flooring throughout the home, hung shutters, installed and painted the handrails on the wood deck, and installed the brick border and walkway around the garden in the front yard. Other intensive projects are ongoing and planned for the remainder of this year. This kind of hard work makes fiscal sense, but it also improves inmate morale, and gives them an opportunity to do something to repay society for their crimes and the cost of incarceration, stated Sheriff DeMarco.
Sheriff Vincent DeMarco accepted a Letter of Appreciation from Members of the Yaphank Historical Society during his visit to the Hawkins House on March 2, 2012.
Sheriff DeMarco (right) with Yaphank Historical Society President Robert Kessler (left) toured the Hawkins House on March 2nd, while inmates in the Sheriffs SLAP Program refurbished the floor in the kitchen area of the historic home.
Important Numbers at the Sheriffs Office Main Switchboard (631) 852-2200 The Civil Bureau (631) 852-5600 Community Relations Project Lifesaver Visiting Appointments (631) 852-3763 (631) 852-3405 (631) 852-1893/94 (631) 852-2205
The Pistol License Bureau (631) 852-2233 Senior ID Cards Sheriff Vincent DeMarco (631) 852-2215
Suffolk_Sheriff@suffolkcountyny.gov