HAUPPAUGE, NY—Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper announced at Tuesday’s meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature that he has filed a bill to remove Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Richard Dormer.

The Legislature’s Majority Leader said that he lost faith in Commissioner Dormer after the Commissioner agreed privately that there was a need to hire more police officers, after what Legislator Cooper said was more than a year of telling the Legislature in multiple public sessions that he didn’t need more police. While Legislator Cooper said he personally liked Commissioner Dormer, he said he no longer felt the Commissioner had the ability to stand up to the demands of County Executive Steve Levy to limit police numbers and cut costs.

“We need a police commissioner with the strength to stand up for professional police standards when they conflict with County Executive Levy’s constant desire to cut the number of police, endangering public safety,” said Legislator Cooper. “I know how difficult that is, but we must have a police commissioner who is willing to fight for what is best for the department and its officers and the people of Suffolk County . Unfortunately, I no longer believe Commissioner Dormer is that man.”

“This issue has been privately discussed among members of the legislature, but I do not know if there is the political will to remove Commissioner Dormer,” stated Legislator Ricardo Montano, a co-sponsor of the legislation. “I believe it needs to be addressed before the Legislature and the public.”

Both legislators said that the pervasive and worsening gang problem throughout Suffolk County underlines the need for additional police. Legislator Cooper said that more police should be hired to deal with the growing problem of gang violence in his district, centered in Huntington Station .

In an effort to give the Suffolk County Police Commissioner greater autonomy and independence, Legislator Cooper has sponsored legislation that would give the Commissioner a fixed five-year term. Legislator Cooper felt that a five-year term would give the Police Commissioner the kind of job security that would allow him to make public safety based decisions outside of political considerations. That legislation has not yet gained the votes necessary to proceed.

“The safety of Suffolk County residents is my first priority as an elected official,” said Legislator Cooper. “I don’t believe that public safety is adequately protected by a Police Commissioner who is subservient to the political concerns of the County Executive .”

###