By:JOSEPH KELLARD
Smith is commanding officer of the Nassau County Auxiliary Police Unit 119. When the Herald last visited him, in 2001, his force had a total of four men and one car that patrolled Oceanside. Since January, however, his unit has added Island Park to its patrol area, and will soon accept two more volunteers and a second car (donated by Famous Brands clothing store on Long Beach Road).
A police officer in Maryland before coming to Oceanside in 1966, Smith joined the auxiliary seven years ago, patrolling the Five Towns before being promoted to commanding officer in Oceanside three years ago. ÒI felt it was time to give something back to the community,Ó Smith said. ÒAnd of course with the police background I had, the natural thing to do that was the auxiliary police.Ó
The volunteer officers, all Oceanside residents, rotate their patrols from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. each weeknight. Armed with two-way radios linked with a communications unit at NCPD headquarters in Mineola, they act as the eyes and ears of the police department, reporting everything from a damaged traffic sign in a heavy storm to crimes.
Asked how commonly he comes across criminal activities, Marshall said, ÒThank God, not often.Ó
Last summerÕs massive blackout was among the major incidents the officers have gotten involved in, directing traffic at intersections and guarding railroad crossings when their signals were down.
ÒRather than tie up the police with situations like those,Ó Marshall explained, Òwe stay at the traffic lights or railroad gates so they can do what they have to do with their patrols. If I see an auto accident, I stay at the scene, ask questions, direct traffic for police when they arrive so they can accomplish what they have to do.Ó
When theyÕre not performing routine tasks, such as setting up road flares for police or assisting stranded motorists, the officers have more serious business to do. When the county heightens its terrorism alerts, for example, they can often be found patrolling areas where people congregate, including synagogues, churches and parks.
Some of the officers have been directly involved in routine emergencies. Brian Babich, an A.P. officer for the past four years, earned two meritorious awards for his emergency work. Once while on patrol, Babich saved a manÕs life at Pizziola restaurant on Long Beach Road by administering CPR, and he diverted traffic while police rescued a cyclist hit by and pinned under a car outside the Brower Avenue shopping center.
ÒItÕs so easy to get a job to get paid,Ó said Babich, director of human resources for Benelias Industries, Òbut itÕs harder to volunteer, because your dedication had to be there, because you donÕt have to do it. You want to do it.
Babich, who has lived in Oceanside since 1968, dedicates 300 hours a year to the auxiliary, and was promoted to private first class last year. He, too, said he rarely comes across criminal activity, but believes the presence of a marked car and a uniformed officer acts as a deterrent to some potential criminals. ÒYou never really know if you prevent something,Ó he said, Òbut IÕm sure by my presence IÕm preventing some crimes from happening.Ó
Frank Alfieri, who moved to Oceanside the same year as Babich, became an A.P. officer in 1984, after he heard that a man attempted to rape a girl near the Oceanside High School. ÒMainly I do it to do something for the community,Ó said Alfieri, a retired teamster who works security at Newsday in Melville. ÒI like to help people out.Ó
A new A.P. officer is required to serve a minimum of 120 hours a year, which amounts to 10 hours a month. As he or she moves up the ranks, the required hours increase. A sergeant must serve 132 hours, a lieutenant, 144 and captains and above, 156. ÒIf you donÕt put in the necessary hours, you donÕt carry the shield and ID for too long, either,Ó said Smith, who put in as many as 800 hours while working in the Five Towns. ÒIt doesnÕt do us any good if youÕre not putting in your hours. We want as many eyes and ears as we can to protect the town.Ó
Said Babich about the rewards of being an A.P. officer: ÒThe simple thank-yous that some people give me are like the greatest paycheck in the world. I do it because IÕm grateful when someone is there to help me.Ó
Applicants for the A.P. must be between 18 and 65, U.S. citizens and Nassau County residents, and must have high school or equivalency diplomas. They are required to complete an extensive training course given by the NCPD. During their training at the police academy, applicants are able to patrol with a member of the unit they look to join. Upon graduation, they receive a diploma and begin their patrol.
For information on the Oceanside Auxiliary Police, call (516) 522-6131 or 573-7520.
