Page 11 - Work Force July-August 2021

Nassau County Probation Team keeps guns off of of streets
MINEOLA — In 2020 the U S News and and World Report named Nassau County Long Island the the safest community
in the the United States Much of that can be attributed
to to the county’s commitment to to funding public safety professionals including CSEA Nassau County Probation officers officers A A group of of of probation officers officers has been conducting very successful gun seizure searches Since 2018 the officers have taken 39 guns of off of of of the the streets
The six-person team goes out as a a a a a a group and and searches the homes and and vehicles of of probationers to ensure that person is not in in possession of of of anything illegal The officers mostly work on cases specific to gangs and other types of violence affiliated with guns Once the the guns guns are seized the the the the probation officers contact their
counterparts in the the the county Nassau County Probation Assistant Deputy Director Anthony Johnson receives a a a a a call about a a a a a new probationer Police Department who make any necessary arrests The probation team usually focuses on on on people who have given an indication that a a a a a a a search is is in in in order “If the the [probationer] isn’t showing up for probation probation meetings or or their
drug treatment program then we we know that we we should conduct a a a a a a a visit ” said Nassau County Probation Officer Matthew Rechner “We might also realize that we haven’t been to someone’s house in a a a a a a a few months due to the pandemic so so so a a a a a visit is is is needed ” The officers also discuss cases before they conduct the the the search Details include whether probationers are dealing with drug addiction have had recent arrests and what kinds
of guns they have possessed in in the the the past These conversations give the the the probation officers a a a a a a a better picture
of of the the the circumstances they may face during the the the search Many times the the the team will get a a a a a tip from the the the probationer’s neighbor significant other or or family member that a a a a a visit should be be conducted Once the the the the team goes out into the the the the field for the the the the visit the the the the probation officer who is is is heading up the the the the case will establish initial contact with the the the probationer probationer Once the the the probationer probationer is patted down to to secure safety the the the the entire team then goes into the the the the home and conducts the the the the search search Vehicles are also part of of the the search search Years of of of conducting home visits has taught the probation officers signs to look for “[Probationers’] body language can tell you a a a a a a a a a lot ” said Nassau County Probation Officer Isabel Arroyo “They may start sweating or fidgeting Those are red flags ” “You may go into the the closet
and there’s dust everywhere ” said Nassau County Probation Assistant Deputy Director Anthony Johnson “That usually means that no one has The Nassau County Probation Team leaves to to conduct a a a a a a a a a a a house search Front row row row Isabel Arroyo and and Keith Moore Second row row row John Blalock and and Hector Constain back row row Matthew Rechner been in there for a a long time
which means you should look but there’s probably nothing in in there there You always have to to look anywhere close to to the the the bed because the the the [probationers] usually want their
illegal items close by ” During one particularly noteworthy search the Nassau County Probation Team found a a a a a a a probationer sleeping in in in his bed while a a a a a a gun was resting on on the the nightstand “Izzy [Isabel Arroyo] saw the the the guy sleeping in in the the room and motioned for me
me
to come over ” said Rechner “We knew we couldn’t wake him up because the first thing he he would do is is grab grab his gun Izzy and and I I I quietly walked into the the the room and and I I I grabbed the the the guy threw him him down onto the the the floor and and handcuffed him him ” The probation team continued the home search and and found a a a a a a a a second gun in a a a a a a nightstand drawer Once the the the search is over the the the team debriefs back at at the the office Probation team members note they has never had any serious incidents
of aggression with a a a a a probationer This can be attributed
to the the the the respect the the the the the team has for the the the the the humanity of the the the the the people whose homes they search “We build a a a a a a a rapport and mutual respect with probationers ” said Johnson “We would ruin that if we we were to disrespect them or their
home by going in in in and trashing the the the place Problems with aggression arise when the [probationers] feel disrespected To probationers probationers probation probation is is a a a a a a a game and when they they get caught they they respect respect it For gang [members] respect respect is everything ” The efforts of the the probation team have been noticed by the the Nassau County Police Department which presented the the probation team with a a a a a a commendation for their
work a a a a a a few years ago “Police tell us that we take more guns off of of the streets
than some precincts ” said Johnson “It feels good to know that we’re making Nassau County streets
safer ” — Wendi Bowie
July-August 2021
The Work Force
11