County Executive launches security campaign

Two days before the start of the Jewish High Holy Days, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano came to the steps of Congregation B'nai Sholom-Beth David on Hempstead Avenue in Rockville Centre to unveil the county's new "See Something, Say Something" campaign."

Accompanied by Assemblyman David McDonough, chairman of the Assembly Task Force on Public Safety, and flanked by top Nassau County police officials, including Police Commissioner Thomas Dale, and several rabbis, Mangano referred to recent shooting incidents, acts of racism and anti-Semitism and the current unrest in the Middle East, that he said need to be taken seriously. Emphasizing that there are no specific terrorist or hate crime threats being made against the county now, the unfortunate reality, he said, is that in these times, we must be prepared.

The county will intensify police patrols around temples and synagogues during the upcoming Jewish holidays, Mangano said. "All religious leaders should know that the Nassau County Police Department will take any and all threats to public safety seriously, as nothing is more important than the safety of our residents."

He reiterated the county's mission to combat racism and inequality, and vowed to work with police and religious leaders to keep Nassau's communities safe. He also said that police intelligence officials will coordinate with state and federal law enforcement agencies and use information gathered from various crimes over the last few years to pre-determine where criminal action might occur to take proper precautions by assigning resources accordingly.

"Residents can help be the eyes and ears for the police department," Mangano added. "Don't assume a package, bag or box was left somewhere by accident. If you see an unattended package, at or outside a church, temple, train station, synagogue, mall or high traffic area, or if you see something suspicious, report it. Let the police know. Dial 911. If you are unsure about something, or your gut tells you something might not be right, call our Nassau County Police Department tip line at (516) 573-7720."