Valley Stream Central grad’s calling was law

Stephen Nasta’s message to Central High School students was simple — Keep your eye on the ball, stay within the rule book and life will be a little easier. Nasta, who graduated from Central in 1963, received the Distinguished Alumni award on March 24 for his work in the New York Police Department and in its narcotics and gang investigations bureau.

“To say I’m overwhelmed is an understatement,” Nasta said to an auditorium packed with Central students. “With great pride and humility, I accept this award. There are so many people out there that deserve this, but I’m so proud they chose me.”

Nasta, 64, reminisced about his childhood in Valley Stream, when he ice skated on a nearby lake, hung out with his buddies at a pizzeria on Rockaway Avenue, and played football for the Green Hornets. “I spent most of my time on the bench,” he joked.

Nasta said that Central hadn’t changed much since he graduated, and coming back brought back some fond memories. “I remember me and my friends would gather in front of the school and talk about our cars,” he said. “Back then, I had a black, 1957 Ford. That was a great car.”

During his speech, Nasta underscored how important it is for students to continue with their education after high school. Students shouldn’t feel bad if they haven’t decided on a career yet, he said, urging them to experiment with different jobs to find their niche. “You need to follow the advice of Captain Sully,” Nasta said to students, referring to Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the American Airlines pilot who made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in January 2009 and saved the lives of everyone on board. “We need to try to do the right thing every time. Perform at your best because we never know the moment in our life that we’ll be judged by.”

Born in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn in 1946, Nasta moved to Valley Stream in 1960. He attended Memorial Junior High School and then Central. While there, he took part in the Cooperative Education program, which involved studies in retailing, as well as employment at a local lumber supply store.

After graduating in 1963, he attended Nassau Community College at night. While at NCC, he met a fellow student who was a New York City police officer and encouraged him to take the police entry exam. After successfully passing the test, he joined the NYPD as a police trainee and was assigned to the 5th Precinct in Chinatown.

In February 1967, on his 21st birthday, Nasta was appointed as a police officer and worked in Ozone Park in the Queens Task Force. He was promoted to sergeant in 1973 and transferred to the 67th precinct in Flatbush. He attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice as a part-time student and later went on to complete his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree in criminal justice there.

In the years that followed, Nasta rose steadily from the rank of sergeant, becoming a lieutenant, captain, deputy inspector and finally inspector in 1997. During that time, while the commanding officer of two Bronx precincts, he headed the Bronx Narcotics unit, which put him in charge of more than 400 narcotics investigators and undercover officers. Nasta retired from the NYPD in 1998.

His retirement was short lived when he was appointed by the Bronx County district attorney in October 1998 to be the chief detective investigator. In that position, Nasta managed and directed criminal investigations including past homicide investigations, narcotics and gang-related cases, political corruption and Internet crimes. He also directed the gun buy-back programs, which resulted in more than 2,000 firearms being turned in by Bronx residents.

After 46 years on the force, Nasta decided to leave law enforcement and travel with his family.

Previous recipients of Central’s Distinguished Alumni Award are former New York Times president Lance Primis, actor Steve Buscemi and former New York Yankee Tom Gorman.