'Wonderful Boss': One Of Suffolk PD's 1st Officers Fondly Remembered

OAKDALE, NY — A Suffolk County police officer is commemorating one of the first members of the department.

Thomas P. Compitello, 87, of Oakdale, former chief of patrol with Suffolk County Police, died on Friday, Dec. 16, his obituary said. He was laid to rest last week.

Suffolk County Police Department Deputy Inspector John Blosser, who worked under Compitello, spoke with Patch about the legacy he left behind.

"He was just a wonderful boss," said Blosser.

In 1999, Blosser was a lieutenant and assigned to the office of the chief of patrol. Compitello was deputy chief of patrol at the time, and was later promoted to division chief of patrol.

"He was very old school and was an Army veteran, but at the same time he was very progressive," he said.

Compitello oversaw many positive and "needed expansions" in the patrol division, Blosser said.

For example, the division expanded its aviation services from a single base in Ronkonkoma and added a second base in Westhampton to serve the east end.

He also enhanced the department's emergency service section, which took on more responsibilities post 9/11 and improved its radiation detection and bomb squad capabilities. Compitello served previously as commanding officer of the emergency service section.

"He was very supportive of that," said Blosser.

Born and raised in Amityville, Compitello graduated from Amityville High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree at New York City College of Technology.

He served in the U.S. Army and joined the Amityville Police Department in 1957. Three years later, he was one of the first police officers to join the newly formed Suffolk County Police Department.

The department was created in January, Blosser said. Compitello joined in February.

"He was one of the first couple of hundred police officers, so he literally was there through the formation of the department," he said.

Compitello remained with Suffolk police for 48 years and retired as chief of patrol in 2008.

As chief patrol officer, he fully opened the Seventh Precinct, which was partially open prior to taking the position.

"He secured the needed personnel resources and other resources to make it a fully functional prescinct," said Blosser. "So that was obviously a big improvement in service."

Compitello was the kind of boss that saw each employee's potential, and harnessed their strengths, Blosser said.

"He just developed his personnel in terms of their talents and encouraged people" said Blosser. "He was definitely strict and made people do things the right way. But still, he was interested in his people and their welfare."

When attending Compitello's funeral services Dec. 21, Blosser told Patch he had never seen so many officers show up for a retired leader.

"We filled the street in front of the church. People went out of their way," he said. "There were a lot of people who are currently officers who never met him."

Now, in Compitello's previous position, Blosser told Patch his former boss instilled a legacy of mentoring others to meet their career goals, and to always strive to improve Suffolk County.

"I think he'll be remembered as a guy that was extremely dedicated to the police department and serving the people of Suffolk County," said Blosser. "He was a perfect combination of a fellow that knew the history and respected the history, but also was always pushing forward and trying to advance things."