Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, joined by law enforcement unions from across New York state, endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for re-election on Sept. 9.
Standing with supporters in Massapequa Park village, union leaders urged residents to re-elect the Republican incumbent in November, praising his public safety record and commitment to law enforcement.
“Many people say they ‘Back the Blue,’ but Bruce Blakeman doesn’t just say it — he acts upon it,” said Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau PBA, which represents 2,000 officers. “Bruce has done a great job balancing protecting police officers, recruitment and training, ensuring officers are well paid, while at the same time protecting taxpayers.”
Shevlin added that the union looks forward to another four years of working with Blakeman.
Blakeman has made public safety a central theme of his campaign. In 2024, U.S. News&World Report named Nassau County the safest community in the United States. The ranking considered crime and injury rates, along with public safety spending.
According to the report, Nassau spent $1,148 per capita on health and emergency services—nearly three times the national average of $440. The report also found that 1.39 percent of Nassau’s population works in public safety, compared to the national average of 0.8 percent
“These numbers are not by accident,” Blakeman said. “They’re the result of a government management plan designed to protect our residents.”
He credited cooperation among multiple agencies — including Nassau and Suffolk County police, the NYPD, MTA police, state police and local departments — with maintaining regional safety.
Blakeman also highlighted his 2022 executive order declaring Nassau a non-sanctuary county, saying it was a step toward protecting public resources and ensuring community safety.
“We are not spending vital public resources on people who are not vetted, who overburden our schools, contribute to homelessness, and in many cases, engage in criminal activity,” he said. “And we were the first county in the country to sign a cooperation agreement with ICE.”
Democrat Seth Koslow, a Nassau County legislator representing the 5th District, in the Nov. 4 general election, is challenging Blakeman. Early voting runs from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.
“Bruce Blakeman doesn’t care about community safety — he cares about publicity stunts and whatever advances his political career,” Koslow said.
He argued that Blakeman’s claims, along with those of Nassau PBA officials, that local law enforcement agencies are well trained and fully staffed are not true.
“Our law enforcement agencies are facing severe shortages, which Blakeman has failed to address,” Koslow said.
For more information on the election, visit NassauCountyny.gov/566/Board-of-Elections.
