Port Washington Police District

The Port Washington Police District (also known as the Port Washington Police and abbreviated as PWPD) is a police district serving portions of the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, Long Island, New York, United States. It is the law enforcement agency serving the Incorporated Villages of Baxter Estates and Port Washington North – as well as nearly all of the hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) of Port Washington.[2]

Port Washington Police District
Official Emblem of the PWPD
Official Emblem of the PWPD
Common namePort Washington Police
AbbreviationPWPD
Agency overview
FormedNovember 1921
Employees87
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionUnited States
Population~30,000[1]
Legal jurisdictionMuch of the Greater Port Washington area
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters500 Port Washington Boulevard, Port Washington, NY 11050
Police officers63 (2021)
Agency executive
Facilities
Vehicles37 (2021)
Website
portwashingtonpd.ny.gov

The PWPD is the only special police district in New York state.[3]

History
The Port Washington Police District Headquarters on August 11, 2021.

The Port Washington Police District was established in November 1921, after an uptick in burglaries plagued the Greater Port Washington area, in addition to a large influx of new residents.[4][5][6] The first day of operations was January 1, 1922.[4][5][6]

In 1925, the creation of the Nassau County Police Department led to the New York State Attorney General Albert Ottinger voicing his opinion that all other special police districts in Nassau County be eliminated in favor of the NCPD.[4] The issue, which involved concerns of being double-taxed over police protection, led to the budget being held up that year.[4][5][6]

In 1933, the PWPD was officially recognized and legislated after the majority of voters in the Town of North Hempstead voted 4,086-to-2,221 in favor of keeping the district; the vote occurred on August 2, 1933.[4]

On May 28, 1934, Governor Herbert Lehman authorized the town board to appoint commissioners; the control over the district would then be given by the town board to the commissioners. It was on that day when the PWPD was declared a separate unit.[5][6][7]

In 1945, the Port Washington Police Athletic League was established.[4]

In 1979, the Nassau County District Attorney investigated the PWPD after the police chief revealed that the commissioner had been allowed to remain in his position despite failing the civil service exam three times.[3]

PWPD vehicles and officers on Main Street during a street festival in June 2023.

In 1984, residents and officials in the Incorporated Village of Manorhaven debated whether or not the village should join the Port Washington Police District.[8][9] If approved, the Port Washington Police District would have taken over the police services within the village from the Nassau County Police Department.[8][9] Those in favor of the plan felt that the Port Washington Police District would be able to better serve the needs of the village, while opponents had concerns over potential tax increases as a result of joining the district.[8] Ultimately, Manorhaven decided to remain under the jurisdiction of the Nassau County Police Department, which, as of 2022, continues to provide the village with its police services.[2][9]

Manorhaven had previously debated the same issue of whether or not to replace the NCPD with the PWPD in 1948; the outcome in 1948 was the same as the outcome in 1984, with the majority of village voters opting not to join the PWPD.[9][10]

In the 1990s, the PWPD faced a series of lawsuits over gender and racial discrimination in hiring and promoting.[11][12]

In 2020, district voters elected Brian G. Staley, Sr. as Police Commissioner; Staley became the first African American to serve on the district's Board of Commissioners.[12]

In 2021, the Port Washington Police District celebrated its centennial.[4][13]

In 2022, the district received a state grant for implementation of license plate reading devices.[14]

Administration

As of June 2023, the Port Washington Police District's Chief of Police is Robert Del Muro, and the district's Board of Commissioners consists of Angela Lawlor Mullins, JB Meyer, and Brian G. Staley, Sr.[4][15][16][17][18]

Statistics

As of 2021, the Port Washington Police District has 63 sworn police officers, 13 school crossing guards, three police dispatchers, one parking meter attendant, one school resource officer, and four civilian personnel – in addition to a traffic safety enforcement unit, narcotics unit, a juvenile aid bureau, a motorcycle unit, a bicycle unit, a detective division, and a community liaison; it employs 87 people.[4]

Furthermore, as of 2021, the Port Washington Police District operates a fleet of 37 police vehicles – including two motorcycle units.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Port Washington Police District – Port Washington, NY". Police1. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  2. "Long Island Index: Interactive Map". www.longislandindexmaps.org. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  3. Kavee, Rona (1979-10-21). "A Mystery: The Police Chief Case". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  4. Andrea Mastrocinque-Martone (2021-08-19). "Police Centennial Sees Major Milestones In Port's Illustrious Past". Port Washington News. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  5. Pitaro, Francesca (2006). "GUIDE TO THE PORT WASHINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COLLECTION" (PDF). Port Washington Public Library. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  6. "PWPD History | Port Washington Police District NY". Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  7. "LEHMAN VOTOES CANAL CLAIM BILL; Refuses to Extend Law Permitting Employes to Demand Increases in Wages. TWO MEASURES APPROVED Port Washington Police District Continued and Civil Service Act Amended". The New York Times. 1934-05-28. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  8. English, Merle (August 1, 1984). "Debate on Police Divides Village". Newsday. p. 26 – via ProQuest.
  9. English, Merle (September 24, 1984). "Village to Keep County Police Services". Newsday – via ProQuest.
  10. "Village May 'Secede' From County Cops". Newsday. July 28, 1943. pp. 3, 54 – via ProQuest.
  11. Saslow, Linda (1994-01-30). "Port Washington Police Enmeshed in Suits Contending Bias". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  12. "Port Washington elects first Black police commissioner". Newsday. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  13. Staff, Port News (2021-07-17). "Celebrating The Port Police's 100th Anniversary". Port Washington News. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  14. Prisco, Julie (2022-11-11). "$1 Million Public Safety Initiative For Police Departments". Great Neck Record. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  15. "Organization | Port Washington Police District NY". Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  16. "Commissioners | Port Washington Police District NY". Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  17. "Port Washington Police Commissioner Election: Staley Victorious". Port Washington, NY Patch. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  18. Pelaez, Robert (2021-12-15). "Incumbent commissioners retain seats in Port Washington special district elections - Featured". The Island Now. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
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