In an attempt to address the ongoing need to get accurate and timely information from police brass on a wide array of critical public safety issues, at today's organizational meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature, Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) acted to give his colleagues more authority over policing issues. Cooper laid on the table a bill that would give the Legislature further public safety oversight by appointing the Police Commissioner to a fixed five-year term, subject to legislative approval.

Currently, the Police Commissioner serves an open-ended term at the pleasure of the County Executive, who appoints the position and then submits it for approval by the County Legislature.
But after that initial vote, the Legislature lacks any further authority to ensure the Police Commissioner is serving effectively. That lack of ongoing oversight has not always been the case.
For a brief time in the 1970s, the Police Commissioner's position was appointed and approved to a fixed term solely by the Legislature.

Several other county department heads already have fixed terms, including the Commissioner of Social Services and the Commissioner of Health Services.

This is not Cooper's first foray into enabling greater public accountability of county services, vis-a-vis enhanced legislative oversight of departmental appointments. Last year, Cooper authored a law to terminate the holdover appointment of the previous Commissioner of Social Services because there was insufficient legislative support for her reappointment.

"This isn't about singling out the Police Commissioner," Cooper said. "It's about treating key department heads the same to ensure that county services remain depoliticized."

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