Change at the 4th Precinct

After overseeing a reduction in major crime in the Nassau County Police Department’s 4th Precinct in 2009, Inspector John R. Capece earned a promotion, and as a result, southwestern Nassau County now has a new commanding officer.

East Rockaway native Christopher Cleary has been tapped as the 4th Precinct's new commanding officer, replacing Capece, who was appointed a deputy chief at the department's Mineola headquarters.

Capece, who was the 4th Precinct's commanding officer for a little over a year after serving in the same position in the 1st Precinct, was appointed deputy chief of the Patrol Division by Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey. Capece will oversee operations in the 1st, 4th, 5th and 7th precincts as well as the department's marine, air and special operations bureaus.

NCPD spokesman Kevin Smith said Capece's promotion resulted from his efforts to reduce crime in the 4th Precinct in his short time as commanding officer. As an example, there was a 22 percent drop in burglaries from 2008 to 2009, from 197 to 154. The precinct encompasses the Five Towns, Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout, Oceanside, Island Park, East Rockaway and South Lynbrook.

Cleary takes over the 4th after more than two decades with the NCPD. For the past four years he has been a commanding officer of the Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism Bureau, and prior to that he had roles in the 3rd and 5th Precincts.

"My goal is to keep the crime down and keep the quality of life up," said Cleary, a graduate of Lynbrook High School who earned a master’s degree in homeland security at the U.S Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif.

Immediately after his appointment to the 4th Precinct, Cleary departed for California to take part in a homeland security conference. Once he gets settled in at precinct headquarters in Hewlett, he has meetings scheduled with a number of village mayors and community leaders.

One of those meetings will be with Lawrence Mayor Simon Felder, who in the past has made an effort to check in regularly at the 4th Precinct to go over crime patterns in the area. Felder said he had a good working relationship with Capece, and he expects to have the same with Cleary.

"We will be discussing a united effort to continue the crime watch situation, which is now very low, very fortunately, but to have a coordinated kind of program," said Felder. "Capece was a wonderful inspector and tried to do — and did, I think — a lot for the Five Towns area, and we wish him all the success in his new position."

Cleary's background in homeland security will be very useful in the 4th, which could be vulnerable to potential terrorism acts because of its proximity to Kennedy International Airport. Cleary said he is hoping to continue some homeland security initiatives the precinct has already put in place, and make sure that potential terrorist targets, like religious institutions, are adequately patrolled.

"The 4th Precinct has been one of the precincts that has been leading the way in homeland security because of its proximity to Kennedy," Cleary said. "We will be vigilant."

Comments about this story? Nassaueditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 201.