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* water extraction
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As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,525,920,[1] its highest decennial count ever, making Suffolk the fourth-most populous county in the State of New York, and the most populous outside of the boroughs of New York City. Its county seat is Riverhead,[2] though most county offices are in Hauppauge.[3] The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, the origin of its earliest European settlers.
Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of both the New York City metropolitan area and New York State. The geographically largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of New York's 62 counties, Suffolk County is 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water).[4] Most of the island is near sea level, with over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of coastline.[5]
Suffolk County was part of the Connecticut Colony before becoming an original county of the Province of New York, one of twelve created in 1683. From 1664 until 1683, it had been the East Riding of Yorkshire. Its boundaries were essentially the same as at present, with only minor changes in the boundary with its western neighbor, which was originally Queens County but has been Nassau County since the separation of Nassau from Queens in 1899.
According to the Suffolk County website, the county is the leading agricultural county in the state of New York, saying that: "The weather is temperate, clean water is abundant, and the soil is so good that Suffolk is the leading agricultural county in New York State. That Suffolk is still number one in farming, even with the development that has taken place, is a tribute to thoughtful planning, along with the excellent soil, favorable weather conditions, and the work of the dedicated farmers in this region."[8]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 2,373 square miles (6,150 km2), of which 912 square miles (2,360 km2) is land and 1,461 square miles (3,780 km2) (62%) is water.[9] It is the second-largest county in New York by total area and occupies 66% of the land area of Long Island.
Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in the extreme east of the State of New York. The eastern end of the county splits into two peninsulas, known as the North Fork and the South Fork. The county is surrounded by water on three sides, including the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, with 980 miles (1,580 km) of coastline. The eastern end contains large bays.
The highest elevation in the county, and on Long Island as a whole, is Jayne's Hill in West Hills, at 401 feet (122 m) above sea level. This low lying-geography means that much of the county is vulnerable to sea level rise.[5]
Sign referring to Suffolk County's 1683 founding located in Peterkin Park on Oak Street in Amityville.
Suffolk County sits at the convergence of climate zones including the humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa), bordering closely on an oceanic climate (Cfb). The majority of the county by land area is in the Dfa zone. Summers are cooler at the east end than in the western part of the county. The hardiness zone is 7a, except in Copiague Harbor, Lindenhurst, and Montauk, where it is 7b. Average monthly temperatures in Hauppauge range from 31.0 °F (−0.6 °C) in January to 74.0 °F (23.3 °C) in July, and in the Riverhead town center they range from 30.1 °F (−1.1 °C) in January to 72.8 °F (22.7 °C) in July, which includes both daytime and nighttime temperatures. On February 9, 2013, Suffolk County was besieged with 30 inches of snow, making it the largest day of snowfall on record in Suffolk.[10]
Climate data for Montauk, New York (1981–2010 normals)
Suffolk County, New York – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
According to the 2010 U.S. census[25] there were 1,493,350 people and 569,985 households residing in the county. The census estimated Suffolk County's population decreased slightly to 1,481,093 in 2018, representing 7.5% of the census-estimated New York State population of 19,745,289[26] and 19.0% of the census-estimated Long Island population of 7,869,820.[27][28][29][30] The population density in 2010 was 1,637 people per square mile (632 people/km2), with 569,985 households at an average density of 625 per square mile (241/km2). However, by 2012, with an estimated total population increasing moderately to 1,499,273 there were 569,359 housing units.[31] As of 2006, Suffolk County was the 21st-most populous county in the United States.[32]
By 2014, the county's racial makeup was estimated at 85.2% White, 8.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 4.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those identifying as Hispanic or Latino, of any race, were 18.2% of the population. Those who identified as "white alone", not being of Hispanic or Latino origin, represented 69.3% of the population.[33] In 2006, the county's racial or ethnic makeup was 83.6% White (75.4% White Non-Hispanic). African Americans were 7.4% of the population. Asians stood at 3.4% of the population. 5.4% were of other or mixed race. Latinos were 13.0% of the population.[34] In 2007, Suffolk County's most common ethnicities were Italian (29.5%), Irish (24.0%), and German (17.6%).[35]
In 2002, The New York Times cited a study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined Suffolk and its neighboring county, Nassau, to be the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States.[36]
In 2006, there were 469,299 households, of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
In 2008, Forbes magazine released its American Community Survey and named Suffolk County number 4 in its list of the top 25 richest counties in America. In 2016, according to Business Insider, the 11962 zip code encompassing Sagaponack, within Southampton, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $8.5 million.[37]
The median income for a household in the county was $84,767,[38] and the median income for a family was $72,112. Males had a median income of $50,046 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,577. Using a weighted average from 2009 to 2014 about 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line[33] In earlier censuses, the population below the poverty line included 2.70% of those under age 18 and 2.30% of those age 65 or over.
Racial groups, ethnicity, and religious groups on Long Island
compared to state and nation
Source for Race and Ethnicity: 2010 Census[39]
American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander make up just 0.5% of the population of Long Island, and have been included with "Other".
In 2003, Democrat Steve Levy was elected county executive, ending longtime Republican control. In 2001, Democrat Thomas Spota was elected District Attorney, and ran unopposed in 2005. Although Suffolk voters gave George H. W. Bush a victory here in 1992, the county voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and continued the trend by giving Al Gore an 11-percent victory in the county in 2000. 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won by a much smaller margin of under one percent, in 2008 Democratic candidate Barack Obama won by a slightly larger 6 percent margin, 52.5%-46.5%. In 2012, he carried the county by a slightly smaller margin 51%-47%. In 2016, Republican candidate Donald Trump won Suffolk County by a 6.9 percent margin, becoming the first Republican to carry the county since 1992. In 2020, Trump again won Suffolk County; this time, however, it was decided by just 232 votes out of nearly 800,000 votes cast, making it the closest county in the nation in terms of percentage margin, and representing nearly a seven-point swing towards the Democratic ticket of former Vice President Joe Biden and junior California senator Kamala Harris. In percentage terms, it was the closest county in the state, although Ontario County and Warren County had narrower raw vote margins of just 33 and 57 votes, respectively. Suffolk was one of five counties in the state that Trump won by less than 500 votes. With Tarrant County, Texas and Maricopa County, Arizona flipping Democratic in 2020, Suffolk County was the most populous county in the nation to vote for Trump in 2020. In 2024, Trump won 54% of the vote in Suffolk county, the highest percentage since 1988.
As a whole, both Suffolk and Nassau counties are considered swing counties. However, until 2016, they tended not to receive significant attention from presidential candidates, as the state of New York has turned reliably Democratic at the national level. In 2008 and 2012, Hofstra University in Nassau County hosted a presidential debate. Hofstra hosted the first debate of the 2016 presidential election season, on September 26, 2016, making Hofstra the first college or university in the United States to host a presidential debate in three consecutive elections. The presence on the 2016 ticket of Westchester County resident Hillary Clinton and Manhattan resident Donald Trump resulted in greater attention by the candidates to the concerns of Long Island. Trump visited Long Island voters and donors at least four times while Clinton made one stop for voters and one additional stop in the Hamptons for donors.
After the 2022 midterm election results were counted, Suffolk appears to have moved further to the right. Republican gubernatorial candidate and Suffolk County native Lee Zeldin won the county by more than 17 points over the Democratic candidate Kathy Hochul.[44] Republicans, as of 2024, hold both congressional districts covering that being New York's 1st congressional district represented by Nick LaLota and New York's 2nd congressional district represented by Andrew Garbarino.
The 2023 election saw this trend continue, with Republican Edward P. Romaine defeating Democrat David Calone by 14 points to become the next County Executive.[45] Republicans also gained a 12-6 supermajority in the County Legislature, seeing a net gain of one seat.
Republicans controlled the county legislature until a landmark election in November 2005 where three Republican seats switched to the Democrats, giving them control. In November 2007, the Democratic Party once again retained control over the Suffolk County Legislature, picking up one seat in the process. In November 2009, the Republican Party regained the seat lost in 2007 but remained in the minority for the 2010-2011 session. In November 2011, the Democratic Party maintained control over the Suffolk County Legislature picking up one seat that had been held by an Independence Party member. In November 2013, the Republican Party gained the 14th district seat, but remained in the minority until 2021, when the GOP flipped the county legislature, picking up three seats with incumbents Robert Calarco (the sitting Presiding Officer) and Susan Berland (the sitting Majority Leader) losing their bids for re-election.[46][47] The Suffolk GOP built on these gains in the 2023 general election, gaining a 12-6 supermajority.
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is a separate agency. The sheriff, an elected official who serves a four-year term, operates the two Suffolk County correctional facilities (in Yaphank and Riverhead), provides county courthouse security and detention, service and enforcement of civil papers, evictions and warrants. The Sheriff's Office is also responsible for securing all county-owned property, such as county government office buildings, as well as the campuses of the Suffolk County Community College. As of 2008, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office employed 275 Deputy Sheriffs, 850 corrections officers, and about 200 civilian staff.
Suffolk County has a long maritime history with several outer barrier beaches and hundreds of square miles of waterways. The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau patrols the 500 square miles (1,000 km2) of navigable waterways within the police district, from the Connecticut and Rhode Island state line which bisects Long Island Sound[48] to the New York state line 3 miles (5 km) south of Fire Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Some Suffolk County towns (Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown) also employ various bay constables and other local marine patrol, which are sworn armed peace officers with full arrest powers, providing back up to the Suffolk Police Marine Bureau as well as the United States Coast Guard.
This includes Fire Island and parts of Jones Island barrier beaches and the islands of the Great South Bay. Marine units also respond to water and ice rescues on the inland lakes, ponds, and streams of the District.
In February 2019, legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) put forward a resolution to recover salary and benefits from James Burke, the county's former police chief.[49][50] Burke had pled guilty to beating a man while in police custody and attempting to conceal it, and the county had paid the victim $1.5 million in a settlement; it had also paid Burke more than $500,000 in benefits and salary while Burke was concealing his conduct.[50][49] Trotta said that the faithless servant doctrine in New York common law gave him the power to claw back the compensation.[50] The Suffolk County Legislature supported the suit unanimously.[51] The following month Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed the bill.
Also in February 2019, a court ruled against the Suffolk County jail in the case of a former inmate who was denied hormone replacement therapy by the jail's doctors. Documents introduced in the trial indicate 11 other inmates were also denied treatment.[52]
Suffolk County is part of the 10th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System; is home to the Alfonse M. D'Amato Courthouse of the Federal U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York;[53] and has various local municipal courts. The State Courts are divided into Supreme Court, which has general jurisdiction over all cases, and lower courts that either hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or of a specific nature.[54][55] Similarly, the local courts hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or hear specific types of cases. The Federal Court has jurisdiction over Federal Claims, State Law claims that are joined with Federal claims, and claims where there is a diversity of citizenship.[56]
The Suffolk County Supreme Court is a trial court of unlimited general original jurisdiction (except as to matters which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction), but it generally only hears cases that are outside the subject-matter jurisdiction of other trial courts of more limited jurisdiction. The Suffolk County Clerk is the Clerk of the Court of the Supreme Court.
The main courthouse for the Supreme Court is in Riverhead, which has been the court's home since 1729. The original courthouse was replaced in 1855, and that courthouse was expanded in 1881.[57] The courthouse was damaged by fire and rebuilt in 1929. In 1994, a new court building was added to the complex. This Courthouse was dedicated as the "Alan D. Oshrin Supreme Court Building" on August 1, 2011.[58]
The Supreme Court also shares space in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip[59] with several other courts and county agencies. Matrimonial actions are heard in the Supreme Court, and those matters are generally heard in the Supreme Court section of the Cohalan Court Complex.
The Suffolk County Court is a trial court of limited jurisdiction. It has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County, and is authorized to handle criminal prosecutions of both felonies and lesser offenses committed within the county, although in practice most minor offenses are handled by the local courts. It is the trial court for felonies, or where a person is indicted by a Grand Jury in Suffolk County. The County Court also has limited jurisdiction in civil cases, generally involving amounts up to $25,000. The County Court is in the Cromarty Court Complex Criminal Courts Building in Riverhead.
The Suffolk County Surrogate's Court hears cases involving the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills and the administration of estates, guardianships, and adoptions. The Surrogate's Court is in the County Center in Riverhead.
The Suffolk County Family Court has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County in petitions filed for Neglect & Abuse, Juvenile Delinquency/Designated Felonies, Persons in Need of Supervision, Adoption, Guardianship, Foster Care, Family Offense (Order of Protection), Custody & Visitation, Paternity, Support Matters (Child & Spousal), Consent to Marry. The court also has a Juvenile Drug Court and Family Treatment Court. Individuals, attorneys, and agencies may initiate a proceeding in the Family Court with the filing of a petition. The Suffolk County Family Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip[59] and maintains a facility in Riverhead. Case assignment is dependent upon the geographical location of the parties.
The District Court and the Town and Village Courts are the local courts of Suffolk County. There are more than 30 local courts, each with limited criminal and civil subject matter and geographic jurisdictions. The local criminal courts have trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, violations and infractions; preliminary jurisdiction over felonies; and traffic tickets charging a crime. The local civil courts calendar small claims, evictions, and civil actions.
Suffolk County District Court has geographic jurisdiction over the 5 western towns of Suffolk County (Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip & Smithtown). The Criminal division of the Suffolk District Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex, Central Islip, and includes Domestic Violence Courts, Drug Court, and a Mental Health Court. The Civil division is divided up in the 5 "outlying" courthouses in Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Hauppauge, Ronkonkoma, and Patchogue. Civil actions may be filed up to $15,000, and small claims actions up to $5000. Actions are commenced by filing with the court. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the district where the property is located.
The Town Courts of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold have geographic jurisdiction over the 5 eastern towns of Suffolk County. Each town maintains a courthouse where judges hear criminal cases (including a regional Drug Court) and civil actions. Civil actions are commenced by serving a summons and complaint for claims up to $3,000, and small claims actions are heard up to $3000. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the town where the property is located.
The Village Courts of Amityville, Asharoken, Babylon, Belle Terre, Bellport, Brightwaters, Head of the Harbor, Huntington Bay, Islandia, Lake Grove, Lindenhurst, Lloyd Harbor, Nissequogue, Northport, Ocean Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Saltaire, Shoreham, Southampton, Village of the Branch, West Hampton Dunes, and Westhampton Beach have geographic jurisdiction within each incorporated village. Criminal and civil subject matter jurisdiction varies in each court.
Most non-criminal moving violation tickets issued in the five west towns are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau, which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, not the court system.
Fire Island Lighthouse was an important landmark for many trans-Atlantic ships coming into New York Harbor in the early 20th century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America.
The Great South Bay Bridge, the first causeway bridge, had only one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The span of 2 miles (3 km) across Great South Bay to Captree Island features a main span of 600 feet (200 m), with a clearance for boats of 60 feet (20 m).
The Fire Island Inlet Bridge continues the two-lane road, one lane in each direction, across Fire Island Inlet to its terminus at Robert Moses State Park and The Fire Island Lighthouse. Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964.
Suffolk County has the most lighthouses of any United States county, with 15 of its original 26 lighthouses still standing. Of these 15, eight are in Southold township alone, giving it more lighthouses than any other township in the United States.
At various times, there have been proposals for a division of Suffolk County into two counties. The western portion would be called Suffolk County, while the eastern portion of the current Suffolk County would comprise a new county to be called Peconic County. Peconic County would consist of the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
The proposed Peconic County flag showed the two forks at the east end of Long Island separated by Peconic Bay. The star on the north represents Southold. The stars on the South Fork represent Southampton and East Hampton. Riverhead is at the fork mouth and Shelter Island is between the forks.
The secessionist movement has not been active since 1998.
The End of the Hamptons: Scenes from the Class Struggle in America's Paradise, by Corey Dolgon (New York University Press, 2005[66]) examined the class roots of the secessionist movement in the Hamptons. In his review, Howard Zinn wrote that the book "[t]akes us beyond the much-romanticized beaches of Long Island to the rich entrepreneurs and their McMansions, the Latino workers, and the stubborn indigenous residents refusing to disappear. The book is important because it is in so many ways a microcosm of the nation."[67] The book won the Association for Humanist Sociology's 2005 Book Prize and the American Sociological Association's Marxist Section Book Award in 2007.
Matt DeSimone, a young adult from Southold, and his partner Jake Dominy unsuccessfully started a similar movement in the late 2010s.
Suffolk County has an 8.625% sales tax, compared to an overall New York State sales tax of 4%, consisting of an additional 4.25% on top of the state and MTA assessment of .375%[68]
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic first affected the county. As of December 12, 2020, there have been a total of 73,281 cases and 2,153 deaths from the virus.[69]
Municipalities of Suffolk CountyA map outlining the villages (grey), hamlets, and CDPs of Suffolk County
In the State of New York, a town is the major subdivision of each county. Towns provide or arrange for most municipal services for residents of hamlets and selected services for residents of villages. All residents of New York who do not live in a city or on an Indian reservation live in a town. A village is an incorporated area which is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. A hamlet is an informally defined populated area within a town that is not part of a village.
Figures in parentheses are 2022 population estimates from the Census Bureau.[70]
Gardiners Island is an island off eastern Suffolk County. The Island is 6 miles (10 km) long, and 3 miles (5 km) wide and has 27 miles (43 km) of coastline. The same family has owned the Island for nearly 400 years; one of the largest privately owned islands in America or the world. In addition, it is the only American real estate still intact as part of an original royal grant from the English Crown.
Robins Island is an Island in the Peconic Bay between the North and South folks of eastern Suffolk County. It is within the jurisdiction of Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York. The Island is 435 acres (1.8 km2) and presently undeveloped. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public.
The county includes a lot of roadways and other public transportation infrastructure. The local Suffolk County Legislature oversees funding and regulations for the infrastructure.[5] In 2019, the legislature required all new projects to account for future climate change caused sea level rise.[5]
I-495 (Long Island Expressway) traverses the county from the Nassau County line in the West to Riverhead in the East. Original plans called for the Expressway to extend further past Riverhead and along the island's North Fork, possibly to Orient Point, where a crossing to Connecticut could be built. The expressway connects to Manhattan via the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.[71]
The Village of Nassau is in the southern part of the county in the Town of Nassau, with a small western portion in the Town of Schodack. Nassau is bordered on the west by the Valatie Kill and Schodack township and is 15 miles east of Albany, New York state's capital city.
The village is near the site of the first settlement of the town, which took place circa 1760. The community was first known as "Union Village." The village was originally incorporated in the 19th century as "Schermerhorn's Village," receiving charters in 1819 and 1866, but abandoned that village status until it more recently gained incorporation as Nassau Village.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,161 people, 490 households, and 321 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,705.2 inhabitants per square mile (658.4/km2). There were 529 housing units at an average density of 776.9 per square mile (300.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.99% White, 0.86% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 490 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $40,789, and the median income for a family was $49,500. Males had a median income of $37,986 versus $27,768 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,199. About 5.3% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett (1880). History of Rensselaer Co., New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck. OCLC3496287.
The region was first settled around 1760. The town was originally formed as the "Town of Philipstown" in 1806 from parts of the Towns of Petersburgh, Schodack, and Stephentown. The town changed its name to "Nassau" in 1808, in honor of Fort Nassau, the first settlement by the Dutch in what is now New York.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.2 square miles (117.1 km2), of which 44.5 square miles (115.4 km2) is land and 0.7 square mile (1.7 km2) (1.46%) is water.
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 4,818 people, 1,851 households, and 1,330 families residing in the town. The population density was 108.2 inhabitants per square mile (41.8/km2). There were 2,058 housing units at an average density of 46.2 per square mile (17.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.66% White, 1.08% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 1,851 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,526, and the median income for a family was $53,313. Males had a median income of $38,981 versus $26,804 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,785. About 5.9% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Alps – A hamlet on NY 43, east of Denault Corners. The name stems from the mountainous terrain.
Brainard – A hamlet at the southern end of East Nassau at the junction of US 20 and NY 66.
Denault Corners – A hamlet on the northern town line at the junction of NY 43 and NY 66.
Dunham Hollow- A hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of the town at the junction of NY 43 and Dunham Hollow Road. The community was named after Isaac Dunham, a pioneer citizen.[8]
East Nassau – The Village of East Nassau is located along the corridor of NY 66, on the eastern town line.
Hoags Corners – A hamlet at the northern end of East Nassau at the junction of NY 66 and Central Nassau Road. The community was named after W. B. Hoag, a pioneer citizen.[9]
Jack's Corners – A hamlet on US 20, three miles east of the Village of Nassau.
Millers Corners – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town at the southwestern corner of Burden Lake.
Nassau – The Village of Nassau is at the western town line, centered around the junction of US 20 and NY 203.
^"Biography, John Augustus Griswold". Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. Washington, DC: Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett (1880). History of Rensselaer Co., New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck. OCLC3496287.
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The office of the sheriff is historically traceable to Alfred the Great in late 9th century Anglo-Saxon England. The unified kingdom was delineated into shires, known today as counties. A king’s representative, known as a shire-reeve, was assigned to each county, acting on behalf of the king. English language would later evolve and over time the shire-reeve became known as the sheriff.[2] The long-standing tradition of the sheriff was brought to Long Island by its early English settlers. Long Island was delineated into three geographical boundaries known as ridings. The West riding comprised present-day Nassau, Queens, and Kings counties. The East riding comprised present-day Suffolk County. The North riding comprised the remaining territory. Each riding had a deputy sheriff and a high sheriff was appointed by the governor to oversee the collective ridings that came to be known as Yorkshire. The constitutional convention of 1821 abolished the practice of appointing a high sheriff and instead, each individual county would choose their own sheriff through an election by the people.[3] The office of the sheriff is the oldest law enforcement position in the United States.[4]
In 1898, with approval from the New York State Legislature, the towns of Oyster Bay, North Hempstead, and a large portion of the Town of Hempstead were separated from Queens County officially forming the County of Nassau on January 1, 1899.[5] The newly created Nassau County would have William H Wood as its first elected sheriff.[6] Sheriff Wood went on to appoint Henry W Skinner as his undersheriff and also appointed the first deputy sheriff's thus making the Nassau County Sheriff's Department the oldest law enforcement agency in Nassau County. The Nassau County Sheriff's Department went on to play a vital role in the early foundation of law enforcement in Nassau County.
In 1900 the Nassau County Board of Supervisors approved the construction of the first Nassau County Jail to be under the control of the Sheriff's Department. The jail was built as an addition to the rear of the county courthouse located in Mineola. The jail consisted of multiple floors and wings which provided separate housing for men and women. It also provided a space in the center for jailors and Matron to operate within.[7] In 1950, to keep pace with Nassau County’s booming population, the county constructed a new correctional center located in East Meadow, New York. The East Meadow correctional center has received multiple additions since its inception and remains the central hub for all Division of Corrections operations.
In 1915, the Nassau County Sheriff's Department played a pivotal part in the implementation of a public safety telecommunications system devised by Charles A Ryder of the New York Telephone Company. With the Sheriff's Department at the helm, the system connected the various scattered county, town, and city law enforcement agencies within the county to a central hub. This system enabled law enforcement throughout the county to easily and effectively communicate pertinent information regarding reported crimes in progress with one another. All law enforcement throughout Nassau County could be alerted to an incident if required.[8]
By the 1920s New York City had begun to blend into Nassau County's western border. As a consequence to the prohibition of alcohol organized crime also began to boom. In 1925 due to rising concerns for public safety the Nassau County Police Department was founded. At the time of its formation, the Police Department was composed of fifty-five deputy sheriffs who were absorbed from the Nassau County Sheriff's Department.[9] Today, the Nassau County Sheriff's Department employs approximately 1200 people including civilian staff, correction officers, and deputy sheriffs.
Nassau County sheriff Wood and undersheriff Skinner at the Nassau County's temporary court house, circa 1899
Nassau County deputy sheriffs patrolling on motorcycles, cicra 1911[10]
Nassau County deputy sheriff tickets Lawrence Sperry after landing a plane in the street, circa 1922.[11]
Deputy sheriff outside the Mineola courthouse, circa 1955
South SideMmessenger newspaper clipping, "Nassau County Deputy Sheriff's Foil Barn Thief," circa 1910[12]
Nassau County Review newspaper clipping, "Children Saved by Nassau County Deputy Sheriff," circa 1913[13]
The Nassau County Sheriff's Department is organized into two distinct divisions known as the Division of Corrections and the Division of Enforcement. The Division of Corrections is responsible for all aspects of the county’s correctional facility (jail). The Division of Enforcement executes orders from the New York state courts and enforces both civil and criminal law throughout the county.
The Division of Corrections is staffed by correction officers who are sworn peace officers pursuant to Article 2.10 Subsection 25 of the states Criminal Procedure Law.[14] The mission of the Division of Corrections is to provide a safe and secure environment for staff and inmates. Correction officers provide for the care, custody, control, and rehabilitation of detainees and inmates committed to its custody by the judiciary. In this regard, the department is required to comply with all laws, specifically correction law, oversight agencies such as the New York State Commission of Corrections, existing consent decrees, and court mandates.[15]
Correction officers attend and graduate from the Correction Officers Academy ran by the Nassau County Sheriff's Department. Academy training is approximately 12 weeks and includes the following:
Certification by the NYS DCJS - Metropolitan Police Training Council as peace officers (completing the Basic Course for Peace Officers).
Training in New York State Correction, Penal, and Criminal Procedure Law.
Physical training and defensive tactics, including handcuffing, control techniques, and less lethal use of force.
Training in firearms and the use of deadly physical force.
Training and first-aid, CPR, and AED.
Training in mental health awareness and de-escalation techniques.
Correction officers provide security at the Nassau County Correctional Center (Jail) and transport inmates as required for court appearances, medical attention, and transfer of custody pursuant to sentencing. Correction officers are assigned to work in the following units.
Operations Unit
Security Unit
Sheriff's Bureau of Investigation (SBI)
Medical Investigations Unit
Internal Affairs
Criminal Investigation Unit
Gang Unit
Grievance Unit
Communications Unit
K-9 Unit
Transportation Unit
Visiting Unit
Rehabilitation Unit
Medical Unit
Sheriff's Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T)
Patch worn by Nassau County Correction Officers & Civilian LSU/CC Staff.
Shield worn by Nassau County Correction Officers.
Nassau County Corrections Dodge Durango.
Nassau County Corrections Ford Explorer (Old Design).
Nassau County Corrections Ford Excursion (Old Design).
The Division of Enforcement is staffed by deputy sheriffs who are sworn NYS-certified police officers pursuant to Article 1.20 Subsection 34(B) of the states Criminal Procedure Law.[16] The mission of the Division of Enforcement is to carry out the orders of the New York State Courts. This includes the execution of warrants, the discovery and seizure of property, the serving of civil process, and to conduct evictions.[17] Deputy Sheriffs draw their authority to enforce both criminal and civil law from the NYS Criminal Procedure Law, NYS Constitution, and the Nassau County Charter.[18]
Deputy sheriffs attend and graduate from the Nassau County Police Academy alongside officers from the county police as well as officers from village and city police departments within Nassau County. Police academy training is approximately 6 months includes the following.
Certification by the NYS DCJS - Metropolitan Police Training Council as Police Officers (completing the Basic Course for Police Officers).
Training and certification in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing for DWI offenders.
Training in New York State Penal, Criminal Procedure, Vehicle and Traffic, Environmental Conservation, Domestic Relations and other Laws.
Physical Training exceeding the cooper standards and Extensive Defensive Tactics, including arrest and control techniques.
Training in Emergency Vehicle Operations.
Training in Firearms and the use of Deadly Physical Force.
Training less lethal force including Tazer, Baton, and Pepper Spray.
Training and NYS Department of Health certification as emergency care providers.
Training in Mental Health Awareness and De-Escalation Techniques.
Deputy sheriffs do not provide security at the Nassau County Correctional Center (Jail) or in the courts. Deputy sheriffs work throughout the entire geographical area of Nassau County and are assigned to the following units.
Sheriff's Warrant Apprehension Program (SWAP)
Landlord and Tenant Eviction Unit
Domestic Violence Unit / Family Court Unit
Field Unit / Personal and Real Property Law Unit
Joint Federal Task Forces
Shield worn by Nassau County deputy sheriff's (Enscribed Deputy Sheriff).
Patch worn by Nassau County deputy sheriff's (Stitching says Deputy Sheriff).
Nassau County deputy sheriff Dodge Durango.
Nassau County deputy sheriff Ford Explorer
Nassau County deputy sheriff Ford Explorer (Old Design).
The Nassau County Sheriff's Department employs both non-uniformed and uniformed civilians (non–law enforcement). These civilians support the administrative and logistical needs of the department by carrying out various duties as it relates to their positions.
Non-uniformed civilians
Administrative assistants
Clerks and secretaries
Cashiers
HR personnel
Accountants, Payroll, and Budgeting Personnel
Uniformed civilians (Logistical Support Unit & Civilian Correctional Center Staff)
Vehicle mechanics and fleet maintenance supervisors
Building maintenance
Grounds keepers
Cooks and food service supervisors
Patch worn by the LSU and Civilian Correctional Center Staff (Same patch also worn by Correction Officers).
New Style Badge worn by the LSU and Civilian Correctional Center Staff.
In August 1965 the Nassau County County Board of Supervisors, the predecessor to the County Legislature, passed a resolution (to begin in 1968) for a local proposal granting the county executive the authority to appoint a county sheriff if approved by the majority of the board. In November 1965 the proposal was put to a vote by county residents and passed. Joseph F. Maher was sworn in as the first appointed sheriff in Nassau County history On Jan. 1, 1968.[23]
Article XIII of the current New York State Constitution states,
Except in counties in the city of New York and except as authorized in section one of article nine of this constitution, registers in counties having registers shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties once in every three years and whenever the occurring of vacancies shall require; the sheriff and the clerk of each county shall be chosen by the electors once in every three or four years as the legislature shall direct.[24]
While there is an exemption allowing an appointed sheriff in the 5 counties within the City of New York, no such exemption exists for Nassau County. Of the 62 counties in New York State, Nassau County is the only county without exemption in the New York State Constitution to have an appointed sheriff which has led some to question the constitutionality of having an appointed sheriff for Nassau County.[25] The appointment of a sheriff in Nassau County has not yet been challenged through the courts.
![Nassau County deputy sheriffs patrolling on motorcycles, cicra 1911[10]](https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%3ADeputysOnMotors1911.jpg)
![Nassau County deputy sheriff tickets Lawrence Sperry after landing a plane in the street, circa 1922.[11]](https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%3ANassau_County_Deputy_Sheriff_Tickets_Lawrence_Sperry.jpg)
![South SideMmessenger newspaper clipping, "Nassau County Deputy Sheriff's Foil Barn Thief," circa 1910[12]](https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%3A1910-DeputyHack.png)
![Nassau County Review newspaper clipping, "Children Saved by Nassau County Deputy Sheriff," circa 1913[13]](https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%3A1913-DeputySherwood.png)
