By Bruce Blakeman
As county executive, I am proud to announce that Nassau County has reached unprecedented levels of safety during my time in office. Despite having a larger population than 10 U.S. states, our crime numbers have continued to decline every year. After falling by 9 percent in 2024, major crimes are now down by over 13 percent in the county year-to-date in 2025. This is a massive accomplishment for our Nassau County Police Department, and it’s a major reason why we continue to be regarded as the safest county in America.
But despite our accomplishments, we know that we can never rest on our laurels. Every day we strive to find new ways to bring security and peace of mind to our residents. One of my top priorities is protecting our children from criminals who threaten their security at school. With a new academic year underway, many parents may be feeling anxious about shootings and other devastating events that have repeatedly happened across our country. I am taking every possible step, however, to ensure that those tragedies do not happen in Nassau County.
Last month, I announced that the NCPD was creating and deploying a new Strategic Response Team specifically to safeguard our schools and mitigate any threats to students, teachers and faculty. The team is made up of dozens of dedicated police officers who work closely with school officials to identify and prevent potential threats. I’m proud to say that the team’s deployment was a complete success for this year’s back-to-school transition, and it will be a critical tool moving forward for all of the county’s educational institutions.
Part of the task of keeping our children safe is ensuring that the streets they live on are free from crime. The NCPD is doing an excellent job of collaborating with local, state and federal partners to achieve this goal. Just last month, we coordinated a tactical takedown of gang members with the assistance of Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials. We arrested dozens of dangerous criminals in less than a week, with many of them known members of gangs like MS-13, the 18th Street Gang and the Trinitarios.
This monumental achievement was the largest gang takedown in Nassau County history, and it helped remove illegal criminals who had no business being here in the first place. Nassau is
not a sanctuary county, and we will not tolerate criminality from illegal migrants who threaten our neighborhoods.
Tackling public-safety issues is critically important to me, which is why I’ve made so many investments in our local police. While other counties and leaders are reducing their focus on public safety and seeing an increase in crime, I have authorized hiring over 600 police and correctional officers during my time in office. I plan to expand our law enforcement hires even further in the years to come, to continue giving our residents the security they deserve.
Our officers will be the best in the nation thanks to a brand new police-training village that we opened this summer. This critical resource will ensure that the brave men and women who protect us receive the best available training alongside our federal, state and local partners. The real-life scenarios and exercises they undertake there will give them the experience to handle any situation they encounter on the job with confidence.
In addition to the best training, my administration and the County Legislature are ensuring that our police have the necessary funding to access the most advanced equipment and resources. It’s my goal that every police officer working for the county is put in the best position to do their job effectively so they can return home safely at the end of their shift.
My administration’s commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents has never been stronger. Under my leadership, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our communities so that every resident can live, work and prosper without fear. That means not only maintaining and enhancing our law enforcement resources, but also fostering strong relationships among our police, local organizations and the community. We will engage with residents, listen to their concerns and respond proactively to keep our streets safe. Together we will ensure that Nassau County remains the best place to live for everyone.
Bruce Blakeman is Nassau County executive.
