Local officials gathered at the Village Green in Great Neck on Sunday to support local law enforcement and honor those whose lives have been lost in the line of duty.
Those in attendance included U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), a gubernatorial candidate; Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman; Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder; Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip; Democratic Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey; Village of Great Neck Mayor Pedram Bral and others.
Officials held a candlelight vigil to honor fallen officers, including NYPD police officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera, who were shot in the line of duty several weeks ago in Harlem.
Zeldin, in a statement, criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, saying she was not prioritizing the well-being of law enforcement officers and protecting New Yorkers.
“How many more police officers must be shot?” Zeldin said. “How many more innocent New Yorkers must be attacked on their own streets? How much longer are we going to put up with the governor who is supposed to be fighting for us, hanging us out to dry?”
Blakeman touted the need for residents to honor the sacrifice police and first responders make to keep the public safe on a daily basis.
“Events like this bring our communities together and let the family and friends of the fallen officers know that we will never forget them, or their service and sacrifice,” he said.
Aside from expressing his support for local law enforcement, Blakeman said he has been discussing various policing strategies with District Attorney Anne Donnelly and Nassau County’s Police Benevolent Association President Tom Shevlin to keep Nassau residents safe. Blakeman has also criticized the state’s bail reform laws.
Blakeman signed an executive order in late January that permits the county Police Department to disclose if a person has been rearrested after being released without bail. He said the reports will be made available online.
According to the executive order, approximately 20 percent of bail-related cases between July 2020 and June 2021 in New York resulted in an individual being rearrested for some offense.
The order also claims more than 2,000 repeat offenders across the state were subsequently arrested for a violent felony while another case was pending. More than 400 of those repeat offenders were rearrested for a violent felony involving a firearm, according to the executive order, which took effect immediately.
Although U.S. News & World Report ranked Nassau as the safest county in America, Blakeman said in a Newsday interview before November’s election that the publication took “spoonfed” statistics from the county and said they did not reflect of what really happened over the past year due to the pandemic.
Nassau County spends $1,148 per capita on police and fire protection while the national median is $359, U.S. News & World Report said last year.
Public safety professionals account for 1.26 percent of the county’s population, compared with the national median of 0.70 percent.
What a shameful display of partisan politics in our public parks! Your coverage calls it a Republican event, which it clearly was. Events like this do NOT bring our community together, and Blakeman’s comments, as well as others, were divisive and inflammatory.
This event was publicized as a “candlelight vigil” to show support for crime victims organized by a community member, when in fact it was a political rally for Lee Zeldin organized by the L.I. Loud Majority, a far-right group whose website shows some alarming photos of their members making hand gestures identified by the ADL as hate symbols. The event was promoted on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feed. Several members of that group, who traveled from Suffolk County for the event, were clearly identified by their matching sweatshirts.
Also in attendance were members of another conservative group, Turning Point USA, which has been mailing flyers targeting our high school students to homes in Great Neck.
As of Wednesday February 2, the GN Park Dept stated that no permit had been issued for this event. How, then, did this group from Suffolk County reserve the park for their political rally? And why was Commissioner Cilluffo participating – what was his role in this? And, most importantly, why are we allowing political organizations from Suffolk County to hold rallies in our Great Neck Park District?
“Let’s face another hard truth: law enforcement itself doesn’t have clean hands either. I have yet to see any senior law enforcement authority speak out against the NRA, the lack of sound policy on gun control, or Second Amendment absolutists. Unfortunately, over the years, a cultural nexus has developed between authoritarian elements like militia groups and law enforcement, something of a bond of shared sentiments. This subject remains untouched.”
https://archive.theisland360.com/readers-write/readers-write-we-need-leadership-to-fight-crime/
Don, have you heard of 2nd am amendment?
Nina, Democrats did it to themselves. Remember BLM? It was dems that call them peaceful protesters while they were looting and burning cities, remember? Or when dems started the defund the police slogan, remember? Or when dems changed the so called bail reform, remember? Who did it? Republicans? Oh no, it was Democrats. Democrats promoted BLM, Democrats promoted disastrous bail reform, Democrats defunded the police. Who emboldened them? Lunatics like Nina. Now the name Democrats stands for lawlessness, anti police, high crime sentiments. You created this vacuum so people are drawn to Republicans. Get it?
Dear Greatnecker:
You choose to call me a lunatic and attack Democrats when all I mentioned was the fact that our Great Neck Park Dept was used by an outside political group. Calm down. I’m not looking to debate party politics here, just want to see people obey our local laws and regulations. Aren’t you for Law & Order?
Nina, everyone knows you’re a Democrats mouthpiece. Crime is rampant and you’re complaining about some locally organized rally that was attended by park commissioner? When fat Al (that’s anti cop, anti white, Jew hater, riot promoter, “rev.” Al Sharpton) complains about his toothpaste being locked up because of rampant shoplifting, you must wonder. It’s time you come clear, you’re for law and order or mayhem?
Nina K Gordon,
Are you sure outside groups organized this event? You claim on social media that the event was like a KKK rally and no one from Great Neck was in attendance! Are you sure about that? Are you sure there were no park permits issued? Where are you getting your information from? It is extremely offending to us all with your baseless accusations. Above all calling us KKK. Very upsetting to many here in Great Neck.
Mehran – It’s time to stop with the slanderous comments and truly offensive, baseless accusations. Nobody on social media called this a KKK rally, least of all me.
I got my information directly from a supervisor at the GN Park Dept, who informed me on February 2 that no permit had been issued.
What is upsetting to many here in Great Neck is that an outside organization was allowed to hold a partisan rally in our public parks.
By your logic, you should not be allowed to attend Great Neck Village BOT meetings. After all you are an outsider to VGN since you live a couple miles away.
To the Editor:
I find it interesting that you changed the headline on your article. It was originally published as “Republican officials gather…” and now it reads “Local officials gather…”
Apparently, after I wrote a letter pointing out the problem in having a partisan political event in the parks, the headline was changed and no longer highlights the fact that it was a Republican event.
Let’s call it what it was… your original headline was more accurate. Shame on you for trying to cover it up after the fact.
Mr. Hakimian is now spreading lies all over social media that I have accused members of the GN community of being KKK members. Another example of his uncanny ability to twist the truth. The fact is, members of the LI Loud Majority can be seen in photographs publicized on their own websites, displaying hand gestures that are identified by the ADL as known hate symbols affiliated with the KKK. That is a fact. No one has accused any one in Great Neck of doing such a thing. However, many in our community wonder why anyone in Great Neck would want to be affiliated with such a group.
“However, many in our community wonder why anyone in Great Neck would want to be affiliated with such a group.”
Then you haven’t been paying attention. Take a tip from this old Yid: Keep your passport updated and a bag ready to be packed. Because if these animals ever reach a critical mass of political power, I’m telling you right now the law will not protect you.
The only thing new in the world is the history you don’t know. I’ve seen enough.