Longtime Suffolk PBA President Stepping Down From Post

BRENTWOOD, NY — Longtime Suffolk Police Benevolent Association president Noel DiGerolamo plans to step down on Friday for a leave before his retirement from the department in January.

DiGerolamo, 52, of Mount Sinai says he will be spending more time with his family, but has no plans for he retires from the workforce. Instead, he is exploring his options.

The U.S. Army veteran was a military policeman in the Gulf War started in the union as a representative for the First Precinct, becoming an ardent critic of then County Executive Steve Levy over his police policies, such as the hiring of police and the redistribution of personnel in the department.

He took up his post leading the PBA in 2012.

In retrospect, DiGerolamo said is proud of his accomplishments in the police department.

"I could not have asked for a better ride," he said. "It's been fantastic. I was able to do what I truly loved in my life. I was a police officer and then I became actively involved in the union and I had the honor and privilege of representing the greatest men and women of law enforcement throughout our nation."

The PBA is Suffolk's largest law enforcement union.

DiGerolamo's news comes on the heels of Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison's announcement that he will be leaving at the end of the year after about two years on the job.

DiGerolamo said he is not in the running for Suffolk police commissioner, and that there are plenty of more qualified candidates better suited for the job.

Along with DiGerolamo, first vice president Lou Tutone will also be stepping down.

PBA Second Vice President Lou Civello will be stepping up as president.

Noting the big job he is stepping into, Civello said he looks forward to continuing "the excellent work" of his predecessors.

"I'm looking forward to representing my heroic members who risked their lives every day," he said. "And I'm looking forward to working together with the newly-elected administration, the Romaine administration to keep Suffolk County safe, and to build relationships with the community and continue the excellent work that the Suffolk County Police Department and PBA have done. "

His first vice president will be John Hnat.

Civello said there are a number of issues that he would like to address, such as staffing and equipment, as well as making sure that the department's "newer people are being treated fairly in regards to wages, benefits, and pensions, a number of which have been diminished for our newer employees."

"Those things will be at the top of my priority list," he said.