Nassau County exec looks to deputize armed residents for emergencies: 'they would be protecting'

MINEOLA, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman confirmed Wednesday that he's looking to deputize armed residents in the event of a county-wide emergency like a hurricane.

The county has put up flyers and published a classified ad in Newsday seeking applicants for the special deputy sheriffs, who would assume powers if Blakeman declares a state of emergency.

The nonunion position, which comes with a $150 a day stipend, would be created under New York State County Law 655 , which states, “For the protection of human life and property during an emergency, the sheriff may deputize orally or in writing such number of additional special deputies as he deems necessary.”

Blakeman said the special deputy sheriffs will not run around the county and act like police officers, instead they'll keep order in the county in case of an emergency, such as a severe weather event like Superstorm Sandy.

“They would be protecting our utilities, they would be protecting government buildings, they would be protecting shopping malls if there was looting,” Blakeman told 1010 WINS.

He said one of the primary roles of the deputies would be to protect infrastructure and take some of the load off police.

“Think about the National Guard, it's kind of like that where you have citizens, and they would be called up in the event of an emergency,” the county exec said. “I certainly don’t want to be in a situation where I’m scrambling for help.”

A resident would need to meet various requirements to take on the role, including being a Nassau resident between 21 and 72 years old, who owns property in the county and possesses a pistol license. They’d also have to get a background check, random drug testing and a doctor's fit-for-duty letter.

The special deputies would only have police powers if an emergency is activated in the county.

Nassau is currently served by around 60 deputy sheriffs, who are a part of the Sheriff’s Department and enforce state and county laws. They don’t respond to 911 calls, instead doing jobs like executing warrants.

Democratic Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton voiced opposition to the plan Wednesday, saying, "It almost sends the message that we're out of control whenever something happens."

"The first thing I thought of when I heard this was sort of one of those Wild West movies, where they would just hand out guns to whoever was around," DeRiggi-Whitton said.

"To have someone running around with a gun," she said, "it's the last thing I think we would need. A number of [Blakeman's] initiatives are not based on—I would like to say reality—but let's just they're not based on facts."

Republican Legislator Howard Kopel told Newsday the special deputies could be “potentially useful and important” in an emergency, assuming “these people would be carefully vetted and trained before they are allowed to join this program.”