Village of Freeport welcomes its newest police recruit to its ranks

Trust goes two ways between you and the community.

The Freeport Police Department added a new officer, Julia Failaa, to its ranks after she was sworn in during a ceremony at Village Hall on July 15.

Village officials welcomed Failaa, alongside members of the department and her family, as she took the oath of office, marking the beginning of her law enforcement career. The ceremony recognized her academic achievements and the training that lies ahead before she begins serving the community.

Failaa, a 2016 graduate of Valley Stream South High School and a 2018 graduate of Nassau Community College, will complete police academy training before officially beginning her service in Freeport.

Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy explained how the village remains committed to maintaining a fully staffed police department, noting that the department has grown from 77 to 108 officers over the past decade.

“We want to continue our ranks at 108, as we’re able to reduce crime and maintain safety for families, children and businesses,” Kennedy said after the ceremony.

Kennedy added that the department’s expansion has been efficient because of investments in technology and community policing. He cited the village’s Operation Safe Streets program, which uses license plate readers to identify stolen vehicles, uninsured vehicles, stolen license plates and expired registrations, as an example of one of its most efficient policing investments.

According to Kennedy, the program has resulted in around 1,500 impounded vehicles each year and has led to more than 200 arrests of wanted individuals.

In addition, he pointed to the department’s use of body cameras for patrol officers, who are also outfitted with tasers, saying the equipment and training are intended to improve accountability and reduce the need for deadly force.

Kennedy said crime in Freeport has declined by 56 percent over the past six years, chalking it up to the department’s officers and the village’s public safety initiatives.

Speaking directly to Failaa during the ceremony, Kennedy said that building trust with residents is one of the most important responsibilities of a police officer.

“Trust goes two ways, between you and the community,” Kennedy told the village’s newest police recruit. “I expect you to introduce yourself to our residents when available on patrol. Build trust and confidence.”

Freeport Police Chief Michael Smith said Failaa was selected through the civil service hiring process and met all of the qualifications required to join the department.

“We’re guided by civil service, so we have a specific list that we have to hire from,” Smith explained. “She met the qualifications, and now she’s got to go through the next step, which hopefully she successfully passes the police academy.”

Since Nassau County does not currently operate a police academy, Failaa will complete around seven months of training at the Suffolk County Police Academy before returning to Freeport.

When asked what stood out about Failaa during the hiring process, Smith pointed to “her communication skills and the way she presents herself” as her strongest attributes.

He said new officers in Freeport must be prepared to handle a wide range of calls, from motor vehicle accidents and arrests to parking complaints and emergency situations. 

“Treat everyone as if it is the first time they are meeting a police officer,” he said. “A lot of people go their whole lives without meeting a police officer, so we want their first interaction to be a positive one. If the officer treats you with courtesy and respect, that goes a long way to improving the image of police officers.”

Kennedy said he expects Failaa to return from the academy ready to serve the community and build relationships with residents throughout the village.

Failaa was not made available by the Freeport Police Department to answer questions about her background and future with the department. However, village officials said they are optimistic that adding her to the department will be positive and impactful.

“We’re expecting that she can continue to develop relationships with our businesses and our residents and children,” Kennedy said. “We want better communication with our residents and for our children to not be afraid of our police officers.”