Northport Police Officer Promoted to Sergeant

Northport Police Officer Thomas Endee will be promoted to sergeant on March 24 following the retirement of Sergeant and Executive Officer John Schneider.

Endee grew up in Northport and was hired full time by the department in 1988. As the seniormost man, he was a natural choice for the job, said Northport Police Commissioner Tom Kehoe.

"He went to sergeant's management school over the summer in Nassau. We anticipated he would be the next person," said Kehoe.

Sergeant Bill Ricca said, "He's been a very active cop and is very knowledgeable about police work." At one point, recalled Ricca, Endee spotted a man breaking into a bank on 25A and caught him in Nassau County after an extended high-speed chase.

Sergeant John Schneider, who officially retires on March 23, started with the Northport Police department in 1979. He was promoted to sergeant in 1987 and made executive officer of the department in 2000.

"He's really a cop's cop," said Ricca. "He looks out for his guys."

Schneider received the award for bravery, the highest award given by the department, after a successful stand off with an armed man in August, 1983. His last day of work was Feb. 27.