Vincent F. DeMarco Sheriff

John P. Meyerricks Undersheriff

Joseph T. Caracappa Undersheriff

Michael P. Sharkey Chief of Staff

Kerry M. Kneitel

Chief Deputy Sheriff

Charles Ewald Warden

A Message from Vincent F. DeMarco, Sheriff

Welcome to the first edition of On Guard and In Focus: A

Publication of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. This

publication is packed with information designed to inform

you about current issues in law enforcement, traffic safety

and tips to keep you and your family safe. Each issue will

introduce new topics In Focus. In this issue, you will find

information on the proliferation of gangs in Suffolk County

and how Sheriff’s G.R.E.A.T. Program Officers are working in

our schools and communities to prevent gang membership

among youth. Also in this issue you will find information

about a recent study on texting while driving and the

On Guard and In Focus: A Publication of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office

Spring 2012 Online: SuffolkSheriff.com (631) 852-2200

repercussions of this dangerous behavior. Finally, we highlight how our

SLAP program has put low-risk inmates to work on public projects in our

communities, paving the way for a better future, while easing a financial

burden on taxpayers and local non-profit organizations.

Your feedback, questions and suggestions are appreciated. Emails can be sent

to me at Suffolk_Sheriff@suffolkcountyny.gov, and don’t forget to visit us

online at www.suffolksheriff.com.

Be safe, and enjoy this first issue of On Guard and In Focus.

Warm regards, VINCENT F. DeMARCO Suffolk County Sheriff

Sheriff’s Message…... 1

Traffic Safety………. 2

SLAP Update ……… 2

Award Presentation…. 3

The GREAT Program..4

Reentry In Focus……. 5

Historic House Spruced

up for Spring ………...6

Inside this Issue:

In Focus: The SLAP Program

The Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program (SLAP) permits

low-risk incarcerated individuals the opportunity to

enhance their skills, or learn new ones, while improving

public areas.

Since the program was expanded by Suffolk County

Sheriff Vincent F. DeMarco in 2006, inmates have

contributed hundreds of hours of labor to public projects

throughout the county.

During the months of December 2011 and January 2012,

inmates from the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in

In Focus: Traffic Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation conducted a study on

distracted driving and published their report in December 2011,

with noteworthy results. Approximately 2 out of 10 drivers

(18%) report they have sent text messages or e-mails while

operating a motor vehicle; and half (49%) of those 21 to 24 years

old report sending text and emails while driving. In fact, drivers

younger than 25 are two to three times more likely than older

drivers to read or send text messages or e-mails.

The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office plays a significant role in

maintaining safety on our highways; Sheriff's deputies are out in

force all year long patrolling the Long Island Expressway and

Sunrise Highway. It is illegal to text while driving in New York

State, and yet many drivers continue to engage in this risky

behavior. A violation comes with a fine of up to $150 and 3

points

points on a license. It is a primary offense; and an officer will stop you if you are observed using a handheld device

while driving. When drivers text, there is a 23 times greater risk of a collision than when not texting. Driver

inattention is a primary contributing factor to crashes and near crashes. Looking away for two or more seconds will

double the risk of a crash or near crash.

“So the next time your phone rings or beeps while on the road, ask yourself if a text or call is worth your life, your

friend’s life or anyone else’s,” stated Sheriff DeMarco.

On Guard and In Focus Page

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.

Sheriff DeMarco, Commander Fred Overton and Sydney Bye

On Guard and In Focus Page 3

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 Institute’s 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.

In Focus: The G.R.E.A.T. Program

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

website, or if they prefer, they can call the Sheriff’s Office of

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 Sheriff’s website at

www.suffolksheriff.com or by calling

(631) 852-3763.

The Suffolk County

Sheriff’s Gang

Resistance

Education and

Training

(G.R.E.A.T.)

Program aims to

prevent bullying,

youthful crimes,

violence, drug use,

and gang

involvement while

(Pictured from left to right) Sheriff DeMarco,

Betty-Jean Wrase, Christopher Coverdale and Dr.

Frances Brisbane.

On Guard and In Focus Page 4

Community Organizations Represented on the

Sheriff’s 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.

Sunshine Prevention Center

Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch

SUNY Stony Brook School of Social Welfare

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.

In Focus: Incarcerated Youth

The Sheriff’s Youth Tier Initiative and Youth Reentry Task

Force were launched in October 2011. The Youth Tier

Program is a designated area within the facility that houses

10 young male inmates between the ages of 16 and 19. The

inmates receive intensive life skills training, mentoring,

educational services and participate in a program designed

to foster greater self-discipline and goal setting.

Sheriff DeMarco launched the program with the goal of

reducing long-term recidivism among youth in the facility.

Statistics indicate that there is a greater than 80% chance

that incarcerated youth will be rearrested, often within one

year of release.

The dedicated members of the Sheriff’s Youth Reentry Task

Force are helping to identify barriers to successful reentry

for the youth participating in the program, and giving them

opportunities for a better future.

“Statistics confirm the fact that our jails and prisons

have a revolving door and that incarcerated youth tend

to engage in more dangerous criminal behavior over

time. We need to look at their incarceration both as a

punishment, and as an opportunity, to help reform their

behavior while they are still young and impressionable,”

stated Sheriff DeMarco.

For more information about the program, go to

www.suffolksheriff.com.

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).

On Guard and In Focus Page 5

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 Sheriff’s SLAP Program refurbished the floor

in the kitchen area of the historic home.

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 (Sheriff’s 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.

The Hawkins House (circa 1850)

Important Numbers at the Sheriff’s Office

Main Switchboard (631) 852-2200

The Civil Bureau (631) 852-5600 Community Relations (631) 852-3763

The Pistol License Bureau (631) 852-2233 Project Lifesaver (631) 852-3405

Senior ID Cards (631) 852-2215 Visiting Appointments (631) 852-1893/94

Sheriff Vincent DeMarco Suffolk_Sheriff@suffolkcountyny.gov (631) 852-2205