By Laura Lane
A Bellmore auxiliary policeman, Amin is the "eyes and ears" of the community -- and the Nassau County Police Department. It is his duty to call in any potential crime he witnesses to the police.
But at times he is asked to do more. "After getting their license plates, I called it in, but they took off," Amin said of the suspects. "The police told me to tail them, which I did. But then they got onto the parkway. They knew by now that I was following them and tried to lose me, but they didn't succeed."
Amin followed the suspects¹ car until police were able to catch up to them and make the arrest. Amin's observations were correct -- the criminals were arrested for dealing and possessing drugs.
Amin received an Excellent Service Award from the auxiliary police for his efforts. He didn't mention the award in an interview, though. He was far more interested in explaining how much the auxiliary police benefit the community by assisting local police. He is proud that he's able to help.
"Years ago, the police department used to look down their noses at us," said Fred Fogel, a former police officer who is an auxiliary policeman in Merrick. "Now there's a higher level of respect for us from the commissioner on down. He said we need the auxiliary police."
Members of this an all-volunteer organization help in a variety of ways. An auxiliary police officer might assist the police department at an accident scene, or provide security, traffic and crowd control at a community event such as a street fair, parade or marathon. "We put in from 4,000 to 5,000 hours a year as a unit," said Lou Maffettone, the commanding officer for the Bellmore and Merrick units. "This is serious business."
Maffettone and Amin said they got involved in the auxiliary police to satisfy their need to help others. "We feel good at the end of the night if we help someone out," said Amin.
Among the seven members of the Merrick and Bellmore units are a young mother, a government investigator and a paralegal. Equally diverse are the members' reasons for joining up. Fogel decided to become an auxiliary policeman after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "I was at the World Trade Center that day working as an investigator," said Fogel, who was driving on the West Side Highway when the first plane hit and assisted in the rescue efforts. "I walked away from it, and a lot of people I knew didn't."
Eugene Lowenberg, a foreign-language teacher at Chaminade Catholic High School, also enlisted after Sept. 11. "I was an Army infantry officer in the Korean War, and I felt like after Sept. 11 I had to do something," Lowenberg said. "My wife worries that it's dangerous, but I really like it."
Maffettone is a businessman who has been with the auxiliary police for 15 years. "I wanted to give back to the community," he said. "I'm a leader and I take on responsibility."
In order to become an auxiliary police officer, a candidate must be 18, a U.S. citizen and a Nassau County resident and hold a high school or equivalency diploma. Officers are also required to complete an extensive training course given by the Nassau County P.D. "We have 22 weeks of classroom, state-mandated training," said Maffettone. "We also learn how to use a nightstick, and we can't use one until we've completed training."
The auxiliary police patrol at night in marked police cars equipped with two-way radios linked to the communication unit at Nassau County police headquarters in Mineola. If an emergency is life-threatening, they can communicate directly with 911.
The Bellmore unit has operated for 50 years; Merrick's for 30 years. Membership has dwindled, however. "People were in the program and weren't putting in any time, so we started to eliminate the dead wood," said Maffettone. "Membership started dropping off 10 years ago. We have trouble getting people to volunteer these days, with two people in the family working now."
But the auxiliary police is always trying to recruit new members. "I gain a lot of satisfaction as an auxiliary policeman, knowing that I've helped my neighbors and community," said Fogel. "You aren't getting paid. Really, you do this job with your heart."
For further information about the auxiliary police in Merrick and Bellmore, call (516) 826-3887 or e-mail www.bellmoreauxpolice@gmail.com.
Comments about this story? LLane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
