Kevin Catalina Sworn In As Suffolk Police Commissioner

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Kevin Catalina was sworn in as commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department during a meeting of the Legislature on Tuesday.

Catalina served as deputy commissioner since 2024 and before that was appointed undersheriff in Sheriff Errol Toulon's office since 2018. Catalina, an expert in gang suppression and counter-terrorism was instrumental in expanding the sheriff's office's role in the Gilgo Beach Task Force.

There, he was also responsible for all intelligence operations, deputy sheriff commands, and the training academy, according to his biography.

Before his time in Suffolk, Catalina, a county resident, was with the New York Police Department for 26 years before retiring as deputy chief and commanding officer of the Intelligence Bureau, Operational and Analytical Section.

He held a range of positions relating to counterterrorist operations and investigations, logistical planning, and site security, and as the commanding officer of the Gang Division from 2014 to 2016, he developed all gang investigative and suppression strategies used throughout the city.

He is recognized as a subject-matter expert in gang violence and crime reduction strategies, and pioneered an initiative in the South Bronx resulting in a 4o percent reduction in shooting incidents.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the State University of New York Oneonta and a certificate in police management from Columbia University’s Police Management Institute.

Catalina also had leadership roles in high-profile events like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the New York City Marathon, Newsday reported.

After announcing his nomination last week, County Executive Ed Romaine said that he will also be making more changes at the police department in the coming month, including the appointments of the chiefs of detectives and operations, as well as improvements to some of the department's precinct buildings and the Marine Bureau's facilities.

He called it an "exciting time to be in police work."

"It's not an exciting time to be a criminal in Suffolk County," he said adding, "because we're coming for you, and we have some of the best people behind us, and we're going to drive the lawbreakers out and we're going to keep this county as safe as possible."