A Greenport man was arrested in Greenport around 9:10 p.m. Sunday after an argument allegedly escalated into him slapping another Greenport man across the face with an open hand. The man was released on $100 bail.
• A Mattituck High School student told police around 10:50 a.m. last Monday that his $400 black Chromebook had been stolen approximately a week and a half ago. The student said he last remembered leaving the high school library with the laptop in its case, after which point he took the late school bus home. By the next day, he said, it had gone missing. Neither the student nor police have any suspects.
• A Southold man suffered an opioid overdose around 12:47 a.m. last Tuesday, but was conscious and alert after his girlfriend administered a dose of Naloxone nasal spray, police said. The man was taken to Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport, but refused medical treatment.
• A Mattituck man reported damage at Breakwater Beach Park in Mattituck around 11:04 a.m. last Tuesday. He said that a boat full of sand used as a sandbox had been flipped over, a sign had been knocked over, a lock securing a gate had been broken off and an American flag had gone missing.
• A Southold man and woman reported a case of identity theft around 12:30 p.m. last Wednesday, claiming that though they did not suffer any financial loss, they wanted to have the incident documented. The two received a notice from a collection agency in the employ of a cable/cellular company. The notice said the two owed $791 for services received at a residence located in Orlando, Fla. in June 2015. The two said they had never been to Florida, let alone rented a home there.
• A Greenport woman reported around 6:30 p.m. Saturday that an unknown individual had entered her store, One Love Beach in Greenport, walked over to the ring area, put a ring on her finger and left without paying. The $32 ring was made of sterling silver and had a small shark tooth attached. There is no further information at this time.
• A Woodland Park, N.J. man operating a boat at Claudio’s Marina in Greenport struck and caused more than $1,000 worth of damage to another vessel around 3:49 p.m. Sunday, police said. The man was attempting to transition to the marina, when he hit a vessel owned by a Wethersfield, Conn. man. No injuries were reported.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
Sergio Gatica, 24, of Greenport was arrested for driving while intoxicated along Moore’s Lane in Greenport around 1:51 a.m. Sunday after a caller said Mr. Gatica struck her vehicle and left the scene. Police found Mr. Gatica, who was parked on Front Street, and determined him to be intoxicated.
• Police are investigating multiple reports of a suspect entering unlocked cars in Founders Village in Southold during overnight hours last Wednesday. There were 16 reports of criminal tampering last Thursday, police said, and five resulted in stolen items. A Southold woman reported nearly $1,000 worth of property stolen, including glasses valued at $700. The woman also said a pair of binoculars valued at $50 were stolen as well as ferry tickets valued at $180. Another resident reported $450 worth of property was either removed or damaged from her vehicle on Youngs Avenue. A $100 cup holder was broken, according to reports. A Southold man reported a $100 jump-starter pack was stolen from his vehicle.
• A Libertyville, Ill., woman told police around 10:50 a.m. Sunday that she was parked on Main Street in Southold near the intersection of Central Avenue, when a passenger in her vehicle opened the rear door into traffic. Another vehicle crashed into the open door, the Libertyville woman told police. The other driver said she was traveling down Main Street when the other vehicle’s door was abruptly opened into traffic on the narrow road, causing the collision. No injuries were reported, according to police.
• A Mattituck woman reported around 9:56 a.m. last Thursday that a $500 pair of glasses and $10 worth of loose change had been removed from her vehicle on Pike Street during the overnight hours.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
Southold police escorted a Lyndhurst, N.J., couple from a sunflower maze in Mattituck Sunday afternoon after a man became belligerent when he was told he was not allowed to bring his camera equipment into the field.
• A woman contacted police Sunday around 8:30 p.m. to report that the driver of a red Ford was failing to stay in their lane on Route 25 in Cutchogue.
During a traffic stop, the driver, a Greenport man, told an officer that he was tired and coming home from work, reports said.
• A Cutchogue woman reported that her wallet was stolen in New Suffolk Saturday around 5 p.m.
• Police responded to a report of a parked vehicle blocking a driveway on Sound Road in Greenport Saturday evening.
The registered owner of the vehicle, a Fresh Meadows woman, could not be located by police but was issued a parking summons, officials said.
• Police responded to Sound Beach Drive in Mattituck after a woman reported an unknown boat left on the beach around 9 a.m. Saturday.
Police contacted the owner of the boat, a West Haven, Conn., man, who said he had experienced electrical problems and the engine stalled, but he was making arrangements to have the boat towed away from the beach.
• Police responded to the Greenporter Hotel Saturday around 1 a.m. after an anonymous caller reported a possible domestic incident in a hotel room.
According to a police report, a responding officer spoke with an Amityville woman who was highly intoxicated and crying because she dropped her cellphone in the water at Claudio’s, but that there was no other problem.
• A Greenport man was taken to Eastern Long Island Hospital Friday evening after police found him walking on Carpenter Street bleeding from his right arm.
The man told police that he punched out a window at a South Street building and cut his arm. The building owner did not wish to pursue charges, police said.
• Police were called Friday after a Smithtown man drove through Peconic Landing in an attempt to access the beach to fish.
He was advised that he’s not permitted to access the beach through private property and apologized.
• Southold police responded to the Mattituck Plaza on Main Road last Thursday afternoon to a report of two men drinking in public.
The men were issued summonses after a responding officer found them with open containers of Bud Light and several empty cans thrown on the grass around them.
While issuing a summons for the alcohol offense, one of the men, who is listed as homeless in a police report, walked near the roadway and began to urinate, police said.
He was placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct.
• An anonymous caller reported that someone was spray painting rocks on Duck Pond Beach in Cut-ch-ogue last Tuesday morning.
Police responded and found two rocks spray painted with “ASU ’23” and “ASU ’24” at the beach, a report said.
• A town employee reported last Tuesday morning that seven windows were broken overnight at a building at Laurel Lake Preserve.
• A Laurel man called police last Tuesday to report finding a large quantity of nails in the roadway near Wowak Farm Stand on Main Road.
Police are investigating the incident.
• A four-foot wooden sign was reported stolen from Surrey Lane Vineyard in Southold last Tuesday around 3 p.m.
• Police were called to Chapel Lane in Greenport last Tuesday after a man reported an unknown person was parked on his front lawn and walking around their vehicle.
The driver, a Greenport woman, told police the car had broken down and she was making arrangements to have it towed.
• North Ferry staff called police Friday to report an intoxicated woman was refusing to leave the ferry terminal around 8 a.m.
Police responded and transported the Mastic woman to a bus stop.
Then, around noon, staff at Mitchell Park reported that same woman was intoxicated and possibly in need of assistance.
She requested a ride to the Riverhead train station, but complained of head pain on the way and was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, according to a police report.
• Police are investigating after a man stole a pair of Nike sneakers and security camera from Yard Sale, Thrift and Antiques in Greenport Friday around noon, according to a police report.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
Nicholas Soullas, 41, of Jamesport was arrested Saturday around 8:57 p.m. for first-offense driving while intoxicated, criminal possession of a controlled substance, refusal to take a breath test and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Mr. Soullas, who was involved in a two-car collision on Sound Avenue in Mattituck, fled the scene and was found in a nearby yard by an officer and his canine. He was determined to be intoxicated and in possession of cocaine, police said.
• Yeri Esquivel-Reyes, 32, of Greenport was arrested last Thursday around 9:40 p.m. for DWI and fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Mr. Esquivel-Reyes was traveling eastbound on Route 25 at a high rate of speed, police said, when he lost control, left the roadway and struck a PSE&G pole on the south side of the roadway, in the area of Bailey Avenue in Greenport. Police said Mr. Esquivel-Reyes fled the scene on foot and was found by police officers soon after. Police determined him to be intoxicated, noting that he had been convicted of a DWI in the last 10 years. He was not injured, according to reports. In another incident reported at the same date and time, Mr. Esquivel-Reyes passed a vehicle on the left, crossing into a double yellow no-passing zone on Route 48 near Carole Road in Southold. He sideswiped the vehicle of a Greenport woman who was also headed eastbound, police said. No injuries or damage were reported in that incident.
• Around 2:44 p.m. Friday, a Southold man struck a PSE&G support pole while headed south on Main Bayview Road, just north of Baywaters Road, at a high rate of speed, police said. They said the man was unable to negotiate a curve in the roadway and skidded into the pole. Four people were reported as having sustained injuries. No damage was reported to the vehicle.
• Police responded to a marine incident last Tuesday around 3:33 p.m., when they received a call from a passerby who said they saw a boat sinking south of Paradise Point. An officer located the vessel, which sank northeast of buoy 16 and outside of Southold Town jursidiction. The operator of the vessel, Ronald Campsey, 45, of Sag Harbor, was safe aboard a Sea Tow vessel and confirmed that he was the only person on board, according to police. The man said he believed the sinking may have been caused by a prior rock strike.
• A St. James man, driving an Azure Limousine vehicle Saturday around 4:48 p.m. missed a turn at the intersection of Breakwater and East roads in Southold, backed up and struck the vehicle of a Laurel man. Both vehicles were damaged, but no injuries were reported. The vehicle operators told police they would work out damage reparations among themselves.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
James Francis Smith, 86, of Mount Sinai was arrested Sunday around 3:54 p.m. for driving while intoxicated. Police received a call notifying them of a vehicle driving erratically on Route 48 near Soundview Avenue. When they located the vehicle, Mr. Smith was stopped on Sound Avenue and determined to be intoxicated.
• Dominique P. Guess of Norwich, Conn., was arrested Saturday around 8:35 p.m. near Main Road and Greenway East for DWI. She was also injured in an accident that took place while she was driving eastbound on Route 25. She crossed the double yellow line, over the westbound lane of travel, ran off the roadway into a thick wooded area and caused damage to her vehicle. She left the scene of the accident and was later found heading westbound along Route 25. The woman told police she had no idea she ran off the roadway, adding that she may have fallen asleep.
• Laurie J. Mignon of Tuxedo Park was arrested last Tuesday around 10:07 p.m. for DWI. A Cutchogue man called police to report that a woman appeared to have driven through a deer fence near Oregon Road and Cox Lane in Cutchogue. Police found Ms. Mignon in the driver’s seat with the motor running. She was trying to back the car up into a farm field, she said. Ms. Mignon was advised to stop the car and turn off the vehicle, at which point she was found to be intoxicated and admitted to drinking two glasses of wine. She refused to take a breath test and was arrested accordingly.
• One individual was injured in an accident near First and Center streets in Greenport Saturday around 3:10 p.m. A Laurel woman was making a left hand turn off Center Street, onto First Street when a Mattituck man was making a right hand turn off Center Street onto First. The two vehicles collided as a result.
• Matthew R. Landin, 40, who is not domiciled, was arrested Friday around 9:21 a.m. near Front Street in Greenport Village after police found him exiting a car that did not belong to him. Mr. Landin told police he was sleeping in the car because it was cold the night before and he was going to seek treatment at Eastern Long Island Hospital for alcohol dependency. An officer advised him to refrain from drinking the vodka in his possession, to which Mr. Landin became aggressive and belligerent, according to police. After multiple attempts to calm Mr. Landin, police said, he was escorted from the area, at which point he allegedly pulled out a box cutter, opened it and held it up toward the officer. Mr. Landin was arrested for menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
• A Cutchogue woman told police she wanted an incident that occurred at Sidor Farms last Thursday around 5:03 p.m. documented. She said the sunflower maze at the location is closed for the season, but states she saw multiple subjects inside the maze. She said she asked them to leave multiple times, to which one individual became upset, started yelling at her and refused to leave. The woman said she attempted to photograph the subject, but was unsuccessful because the individual grabbed her phone and threw it into the maze. The subject allegedly left without incident.
• A fire, believed to have been started by a cigarette located in a trash bin in the back of a truck near Marratooka Lane in Mattituck last Thursday around 2:46 p.m. was extinguished before police arrived, according to reports.
• One individual was injured last Wednesday around 10:20 p.m. after a Brockton, Mass., man headed east on Route 25 fell asleep at the wheel while turning left into the roadway. The driver collided with a National Grid utility pole and reported damage to his vehicle.
• An Orient man told police around 6:13 p.m. last Wednesday that the side window of his $500 yellow 1997 John Deere 410E had been damaged. He said he noticed the damage when he went to the work site on Route 48 and Cabots Woods Road in Peconic. An investigation is underway.
• A Greenport Village code enforcement officer reported graffiti located on a rock at Clark’s Beach in Greenport. He described the graffiti as spray-painted letters “ROM.”
• A Southold man told police last Tuesday around 1:52 p.m. that someone had broken the lock off the men’s restroom at Goose Creek Beach in Southold. The man also reported the porcelain sink broken. An investigation is underway.
• A Jamestown, R.I., man reported to police around 5:29 p.m. last Monday that while stopped in traffic to make a left turn, his vehicle was struck by a Southold man, who sustained injuries. The Southold man said he was traveling east on Route 48 when he failed to see that the Jamestown man was stopped due to a glare from his windshield and claimed he was therefore unable to avoid the collision.
• A Greenport woman told police last Monday around 1:17 p.m. that her son, a Greenport man with a different address, has been breaking into her residence and taking her bank cards in the middle of the night to withdraw funds. The woman reported that $920 had been withdrawn from her account and supplied officers with her bank statement. She said she did not make the multiple Greenport Chase ATM transactions in question. The woman said her son has broken into her residence on multiple occasions and is the only person who knows her debit card pin number. She is pressing charges, according to police. An investigation is underway.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent
Southold Town police are investigating a Sunday evening boating accident that occurred in the area of James Creek in Mattituck that claimed the life of a 27-year old Riverhead woman.
A 39-foot Cobalt struck a bulkhead approximately 200 feet to the west of the entrance to James Creek, which is just east of Veteran’s Beach, police said. The four people on board the vessel sustained serious injuries to varying degrees as a result of the impact. Two victims were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center by fire department ambulance and two were airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital.
Kelley Blanchard, 27, of Riverhead suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at Peconic Bay Medical Center, police said.
The Mattituck fire department and Cutchogue FD responded, as did officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The damaged bulkhead pictured Monday afternoon. (Credit: Kate Nalepinski)
Police named the other individuals involved in the incident as: Frank Distefano, 48, of East Northport; Nick Soullas, 41, of Jamesport; Megan Blanchard, 29, of New Suffolk. Megan, who is listed in fair condition at Stony Brook University Hospital, and Kelley Blanchard are sisters. Mr. Distefano is also listed in fair condition Monday, according to a Stony Brook hospital spokesperson.
Southold police said Monday morning that Mr. Distefano, a partner in the Michelangelo’s pizza franchises where the late Ms. Blanchard worked as a manager, was charged with boating while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. He was issued an appearance ticket and is expected to be arraigned later this month, police said. The release also said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office is assisting with the investigation. Mr. Distefano is the owner of the boat, police said.
Additional charges are expected and the investigation is ongoing, police said.
The incident occurred at about 9:17 p.m., police said. The boat was approximately 150 feet off shore when the first officers arrived on scene. All of the people were onboard after the initial crash and did not need to be rescued from the water, police said.
Police said the damage to the boat and bulkhead indicate “the collision occurred at significant speed.”
Mr. Soullas remains hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, police said. An update on his condition was not available from either Stony Brook or PBMC.
At 11 a.m. Monday, police still had the private road that leads to the homes where the boat struck the bulkhead blocked off. An officer said it was still an active crime scene.
New York State police also assisted in the investigation and the U.S. Coast Guard also monitored, police said.
Police said additional details will be released as they become available.
Top photo caption: Investigators at the scene Monday morning. (Credit: Joe Werkmeister)
The damaged boat. (Credit: Stringer News)
Photo caption: Investigators at the scene Sunday evening. (Credit: Stringer News)
Southold and Suffolk County police are asking the public to help identify a suspect who stole a landscaping truck and trailer early Sunday morning.
According to police, an unknown person stole the truck, containing tools and equipment, from Chris Mohr Landscaping & Masonry on Route 48 in Cutchogue Sunday around 2 a.m.
Later Sunday, police located the truck and trailer on Taylor Avenue in East Patchogue, with several tools including leaf blowers, lawn mowers and a saw, missing.
Police did not offer a description of the suspect, but said they arrived at the Cutchogue landscaping business in a Dodge 2500 series pickup truck with a model year estimated to be between 1994 and 2002.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, using the P3 mobile app or online at www.P3tips.com.
All calls, text messages and emails will be kept anonymous, officials said.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has changed nearly all aspects of daily life — including how police departments function. An essential function of society, there are concerns about how to keep police officers safe without heightening the risk to public safety.
The Suffolk Times recently interviewed Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley to see how the pandemic has affected his department. His responses have been edited for space and clarity.
The Suffolk Times: What are some of the challenges presented amidst the COVID-19 pandemic?
Chief Martin Flatley: There’s a whole new set of challenges. We’re leaving behind the community oriented policing, which our department does like to have a relationship with the community. Social distancing makes it almost impossible, so we’ve cut a lot of personal interaction between police and members of the public. We’re doing over the phone rather than in-person interviews and modified our lobby at headquarters, so if something has to be documented [there], an officer meets them outside in the parking lot.
We’re also trying to keep up with all of the mandates from the state and county and adapt them to our department.
ST: Have any aspects of patrols/policing changed?
MF: Patrolling is definitely different. We’re not getting the volume of calls we normally get. For aided cases, if someone’s sick, we’re having to basically proceed as if they are positive for the virus. Calls like that, you’re leery going in — we’ve had an increase in aided cases.
ST: One troubling statistic we’ve seen is an uptick in domestic violence calls. Suffolk police officials say there’s been a nearly 3.5% spike. Is that happening in Southold, too?
MF: Those calls are on the upswing. I’ve looked at [reports for March] but I think April will tell, when that comes in.
People are shuttered in their house with family members, or with other situations where there’s orders of protections in place. But we haven’t got to the point where the numbers are up dramatically. In March 2019, we had 12 domestics, this year we have 15.
ST: What about other types of crimes?
MF: I think crime itself for the most part is going to be down. Larcenies and burglaries might have gone up — that was our concern. We pushed out patrol and wanted them to have an extra presence in the commercial districts.
There are about 10 fewer [car accidents] in March this year, which is obviously attributed to fewer cars on the road.
Aided cases have remained constant. Overall, calls are down to 1,045 from 1,345 last March.
ST: Has there been an influx of calls related to nonessential businesses, like construction, still going on? Has anyone been issued a violation?
MF: We’ve received complaints about construction sites. It’s then up to the officer to interpret what’s an essential business, what’s not. The general consensus is trying to get voluntary compliance first by talking to people. We haven’t had to arrest anyone or give anybody a summons for violating the public health law. I’m hoping that will continue, but the longer this goes and if they don’t lighten up a little bit of the restrictions, I can see that getting more difficult to enforce.
ST: What about social distancing?
MF: There’s plenty of those calls to go around, especially the last couple of weekends when the weather’s been nice. A lot of it’s deceiving — we get complaints about two people walking together and not maintaining a six-foot distance. But if it’s family members, the exposure is already there.
These orders are meant for people to self administer and rely on people doing the right thing. In my opinion, most people we are dealing with and seeing are adhering to the different restrictions.
I went to do takeout in Southold at La Cascada, they were serving out of the window. It was myself and probably eight or 10 other guys there and everybody had a mask on, everybody was maintaining distance. I think everyone’s well aware of what they’re supposed to be doing.
ST: Have there been any reductions in officers or hours as a result of the health crisis?
MF: All dispatchers, police officers and marine units are considered essential, so we’re all working and we have been throughout the last six weeks. The only reduction for headquarters is our clerical staff we usually have in here.
ST: Have any officers tested positive? How’s your supply of personal protective equipment?
MF: We have not had any officers test positive for COVID-19, but we have had five officers go through 14-day quarantine periods. Currently we only have one officer quarantining, the others have returned at various intervals.
Since the very beginning of this pandemic and the North Fork’s first case, we have had a protocol for officers responding to fever/cough calls which required them to wear N95 masks and gloves with goggles also being provided. Our supply has been scarce at times but never critical. Suffolk County has supplied us with N95 masks, disinfectant gel, gloves and glasses throughout and the federal government helped supply us with gowns, when none could be found. Greenport Harbor Brewery with W.J. Mills donated a supply of their face shields, and the public on whole has also helped us by supplying us with hand-made cloth masks.
The local merchants have also been incredibly generous with their donations of food and drink, which is really appreciated as certain employees are stationed at headquarters for their whole eight-hour shift and cannot get out for meal breaks.
ST: What role will the department play as the local economy begins to reopen?
MF: Everybody’s kind of on the same page thinking of May 15 as a benchmark as to what’s going to change and how much freedom towns will get to bring some of their workforce back. Once this does start to pass, we don’t intend on being this impersonal. We enjoy interaction with the public and we want to be there when they need us. We’re looking forward to getting back to normal.
There are several local domestic violence resources for residents. Anyone in need of help related to domestic violence can call the Suffolk County hotline at 631-332-9234 or text 844-997-2121 24/7. Residents can also reach out to local domestic violence organization The Retreat by calling their hotline at 631-329-2200.
With the help of bystanders, three people were rescued in the Peconic Bay off South Harbor Road Tuesday afternoon after they began screaming for help, Southold Town police said in a release.
Christopher Devito, of Putney, Vt., John Bloom, of Southold, Yaas Azmouden, of Dix Hills and Christopher Kirincic, of Southold “all observed the young girl and two boys in trouble, screaming for help and swam towards them, while a fifth bystander, Emily Perry, jumped on her paddle board to assist with the rescue.
“Due to the efforts and quick thinking of the bystanders, all three victims were rescued and brought to shore,” the release said. “One juvenile had difficulty breathing after consuming an amount of water in her lungs during the incident. Southold Fire Department responded and transported all three victims to ELIH for further treatment.”
No update on their condition was provided.
The release said Mr. Kirincic is a volunteer firefighter with the Southold Fire Department and Mr. Devito is an off-duty sheriff from Vermont.
A Huntington woman was arrested at Harbes Farmstand and Vineyard in Mattituck Saturday evening after causing a disturbance that led to her kicking two police officers and attempting to grab one officer’s holstered Taser, according to a Southold Town police press release.
The report says Inguna Brigandi, 55, was “highly intoxicated” and causing a disturbance at the Sound Avenue business before officers were called. After she failed to grab the officer’s Taser she tried to “bite his arm,” police said.
While in a patrol vehicle she attempted to kick one of the windows out,” according to the report.
Ms. Brigandi was transported to headquarters in Peconic for processing and later released on an appearance ticket for a future court date.
Southold Town police arrested a 52-year-old Manorville man for driving while intoxicated in Greenport Saturday.
Police received a 911 call about an intoxicated man getting into a red Honda Accord and turning westbound onto Route 25 from Third Street. Jason Scolaro was stopped shortly after 7:30 p.m., after an officer observed the vehicle cross over the double yellow line as an eastbound vehicle drove by.
He was placed under arrest and held for arraignment and his vehicle was secured at the scene, police said. A 49-year-old Manorville woman in the passenger seat was transported to police headquarters to await a ride home, reports said.
• Police arrested a 42-year-old Riverhead man on aggravated DWI charges in Laurel on Aug. 27.
According to police, Dilan Monroy Suret was stopped on Route 25 for failing to maintain his lane of travel in a red Ford Explorer around 6:30 p.m. and was found to be intoxicated.
He was arrested and charged with aggravated DWI, officials said.
• A camper at Eastern Long Island Kampground contacted police last Tuesday to report a suspected case of animal abuse.
The woman told police she heard a neighboring camper “slap his dog five times” though she did not witness it.
Police spoke with the neighbor, a 28-year-old Orlando, Fla., who allowed officers to examine the dogs, who appeared “in good health, well fed, clean and free of any apparent injury.”
No further action was taken.
• Esvin Godinez Secaida, 28, of Cutchogue was charged with driving while intoxicated along Depot Lane Sunday shortly before 10 p.m., according to police reports. He reportedly had two adult passengers in the vehicle at the time of the arrest.
• A 57-year-old Riverhead man was issued an appearance ticket after he was observed defecating in Mitchell Park last Wednesday afternoon.
• Police were called to a home on Old Sound Avenue in Mattituck Friday after a 24-year-old woman reported that $2,000 was missing from a drawer. According to a police report, a 19-yearold woman kicked the 24-year-old in the leg while an officer was present at the home.
The younger woman, Lidia Hernandez Gatica, was charged with seconddegree harassment.
• Police were called to a farm along Route 48 in Southold last Tuesday morning after a man reported that an unknown person dumped a pile of dirt containing chunks of concrete and grass on the property.
• A teenager called police after seeing a man lying in the roadway along Mill Lane in Mattituck last Wednesday night.
Police responded and spoke with a “highly intoxicated” 37-year-old Peconic man who was attempting to walk home from the Broken Down Valise. An officer assisted the man back to his residence and no further action was taken.
• Southold police responded to Breakwater Beach in Mattituck Saturday after an anonymous person texted Riverhead police headquarters stating that there was going to be a “party with underage drinking” at the location that evening. Officers did not find any youths at the beach but noted that a car with youths pulled into the parking lot and turned around while they were present.
• A man stole two chairs from an outdoor dining area at Noah’s in Greenport last week. The incident was reported to police last Wednesday evening and an investigation is ongoing.
• Two brush fires were reported in Mattituck last week as a result of ongoing dry conditions. One was reported along New Suffolk Avenue and the other on Old Field Court in Mattituck last Thursday. Mattituck Fire Department responded to both incidents and extinguished the fires, which are not suspected to be criminal in nature.
• A man called police to report that a speed limit sign had been altered to read “80 miles per hour” instead of “30 miles per hour” along Main Road in Mattituck Saturday.
Police notified the state Department of Transportation about the incident.
• A Greenport woman called police to report hearing a car alarm going off for a prolonged period of time early Saturday morning.
Police canvassed the area of Bay Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. and determined the noise was coming from the Shelter Island ferries using their horns in the fog.
• Police were called to the shoulder of Route 48 in Southold Saturday afternoon after receiving a report about a man on his hands and knees next to his truck on the side of the road.
The man, a 32-year-old from Laurel, told police he was praying because his brother died in a car crash a few years ago. An officer suggested safer locations to pray and no further action was taken.
• A 59-year-old Southold man contacted police last Monday afternoon to report seeing a man in a women’s bikini sunbathing on his private beach and refusing to leave. Police responded to the area shortly before 2 p.m. and were unable to locate the man.
• Police and Southold Fire Department responded to a home on Pine Neck Road Sunday night and extinguished a pool heater that caught on fire shortly before midnight.
• Police cited a 45-year-old Southold man for driving without insurance during a traffic stop in East Marion last Monday evening.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
A Southold man has been charged with 50 counts of possession of child pornography, after authorities said they found a hard drive containing video and images of the sex abuse of children as young as 18 months old.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said his office began looking into James Gaffga, 36, after receiving a tip from the public — which prompted an investigation that included the FBI, Suffolk County Police and Southold Town Police.
Between late November and mid-December 2022, Mr. Gaffga allegedly downloaded from the internet both images and video of children between the ages of 18 months and 10 years old being abused.
Mr. Gaffga was arraigned Friday, Mr. Tierney said in the press release, and released under the supervision of the probation department with a GPS monitor attached to his ankle. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 19.
If convicted, Mr. Gaffga could face one and a third to four years in prison on each count. His attorney, Steven Politi, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Gaffga worked for much of his life at the Southold IGA, said manager Kevin Grattan.
“He started here when he was in high school and worked on and off through college” before leaving the job about a year ago, Mr. Grattan said. “He was supposedly moving to Virginia.”
Mr. Grattan said employees at IGA were “definitely” surprised to hear the news of their former colleague’s arrest.
“We never saw that coming. He was just an employee here.”
Mr. Tierney urged “anyone who is aware that child pornography is being produced, downloaded, or traded, to contact the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office immediately. Law enforcement is fully committed to holding individuals who contribute to the sexual exploitation of innocent children accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
In Feb. 2021, longtime Southold Town building department employee and one time Democratic candidate for supervisor Damon Rallis was arrested on a federal charge of distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, Mr. Rallis became the subject of an investigation by the FBI after he engaged with an undercover agent in an “invite-only” group chat on the social media platform Kik in 2020, according to the complaint filed in federal court. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his case is ongoing.
Eight high school juniors from Mattituck, Greenport, Shelter Island and Southold schools got their first taste of law enforcement Friday during a job shadow day with the Southold Town Police Department.
After a discussion regarding the department and what it takes to be one of its officers, the students toured headquarters and observed dispatch officers answer 911 calls. Over the next couple of hours, they got firsthand experience spotting motorists speed down Route 48, watched a K-9 sniff out evidence and sat in the cockpit of a Suffolk County Police helicopter.
“I learned cops have different jobs that they do,” said 16-year-old Mattituck student Jackson Frend. “It’s not just one job on the streets, they can branch off into multiple different jobs which is cool.”
Shadow day is a long-running tradition for the high schools on the North Fork and Shelter Island, one that allows young people in the community a chance to learn about a career that interests them. In addition to the police department, students observed workers tradesmen at Port of Egypt Marine in Southold, shadowed teachers in their schools and worked alongside other local professionals who volunteered to participate.
At Southold police headquarters, there is never a shortage of officers looking to participate in the annual event.
“It’s a break from their normal duties during the daytime,” Chief Martin Flatley said. “They like to show off what they do and explain what they do. They have kids in the school districts, too, so there’s never any problem getting volunteers for this day.”
Among the volunteers were officer Shawn Williams and his trusted partner Solo, a 3-year-old German shepherd. Despite the name, Solo works well with Mr. Williams, who explained that his partner views all of his tasks as play, not work, and when a task is successfully completed, the two play with Solo’s toy.
In a demonstration for the students, with his snout to the ground, Solo sniffed around the field at the Southold Town Recreation Center and located hidden “evidence” — pieces from a gun and a walkie talkie — by picking up the scent of the officer who hid it.
“There’s a wide variety of things we can use [K-9 officers] for other than catching bad guys,” Mr. Williams said. “They can find missing people and elderly people.”
One display of particular interest to the high schoolers born into the digital age was the drone demonstration. Once he sent it soaring through the sky, Capt. James Ginas explained how the device’s many features help the police in daily activities, from heat signature detection, which relays information to the remote control’s screen, to the drone’s ability to drop a flotation device to someone in need of a rescue on the water.
Two Suffolk County Police officers from the department’s aviation section flew in via helicopter and let the kids hop into the cockpit — provided they didn’t push any buttons. The students learned the tactical ways the officers use their beacon light to flush people out of hiding as well as their lifesaving duties alongside Stony Brook Hospital flight paramedics.
Students got the most hands-on law enforcement experience with highway patrol officers, who took the kids to Route 48 and trained them to pick out speeding motorists. Chief Flatley explained that it’s a best practice to eyeball which cars are moving the fastest in a pack before using the Lidar scanner. The technology, the name of which stands for light detection and ranging, is more accurate than a radar gun when trying to detect the speed of a single moving vehicle. One-by-one, the students aimed the lLidar gun and shouted out the speeds of the motorists zipping by on either side of the road.
The various interactive sessions left an impression on the students, some of whom said they will pursue a career on the force.
“We got the real deal of what happens in the day in the life of a cop,” said Mattituck student Ella Wirth.
A Southold man told police Nov. 6 that two financial accounts were opened in his name without permission, but that he has not experienced any financial loss.
• A Southold woman reported to police Nov. 6 that a neighbor was burning leaves. Police advised the neighbor that burning leaves is against Southold town code if it is done uncontrolled. The neighbor ceased burning the leaves.
• Also on Nov. 6, police responded to a business on Route 48 in Peconic to investigate a criminal mischief complaint. According to a report, an unnamed person threw a brick at the windshield of a vehicle at the address. Police located and arrested the person who allegedly threw the brick. That person was also found to have violated an order of protection and was transported to headquarters for processing, No other information was provided.
• On Nov. 7, police responded to the Cross Sound Ferry office in Orient to investigate a report that a woman there was asking for U.S. Secret Service protection. After the woman was interviewed, she agreed to leave the property.
• On Nov. 8, Steven McNeil, 38, responded to Southold police headquarters “where he was arrested for the listed charges” of criminal contempt, according to a report. He was processed and held for arraignment.
• A Mattituck woman told police last Thursday that she lost her wallet, which contained permits for two pistols. She told police she had taken the necessary steps regarding her credit cards, and had notified the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department about the pistol permits.
• A Cutchogue man told police Friday that his neighbor was spraying an unknown substance onto plants at the front of his property. Police contacted the neighbor who was “agitated” and admitted spraying water on to the Cutchogue man’s property “in hopes to prevent leaves from blowing back onto his property.” Police told the man not to spray his neighbor’s property.
• On Sunday, police investigated a report of a “disturbance” outside First Presbyterian Church in Southold. Officers interviewed two people who said they were protesting the war in the Middle East. One of them told police an “unknown white male approached him and became irate.” No further action was taken.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
• On Nov. 20, an employee of the Starbucks in Mattituck signed a trespass affidavit against a 54-year-old man, whose address was not provided, for being in the store on several occasions, giving employees a hard time and asking employees for free food and coffee, according to a report. Police located the man at a 7-Eleven and advised him of the affidavit. On the same date, the same man was told to leave a convenience store in Greenport after he got upset that the store did not carry a tobacco product he wanted, police said.
• An 88-year-old Greenport man told police on Nov. 20 that he received a letter stating that he won $250,000 from “North American Consumer Promotion Draw” and he needed to send in a $2,000 processing fee. The letter included a fake $2,675 check in the man’s name for him to cash. He told police he wanted to confirm it was a fraud. He was advised to check all his financial accounts.
• A 58-year-old Greenport man went to the St. Agnes R.C. Church food pantry in Greenport on Nov. 21 and requested a Thanksgiving food basket. He was told he needed to sign up for the program an he became irate and “yelled and screamed and made the volunteers feel unsafe,” according to a report. He was told to leave. He told staff that “Hispanic patrons get preferential treatment” at the pantry, according to police. He was told he is no longer allowed in the pantry and a notice of trespass was filed.
• An anonymous caller on Nov. 22 told police a man was walking down the middle of Fourth Avenue in Greenport and “acting erratically”. Police responded and determined the man, Richard Hermance, 33, address unavailable, had an active bench warrant from Southold Town Justice Court. He was arrested and an officer attempted to transport him to headquarter for processing. “Hermance stated he recently used heroin and was showing signs of an onset of an overdose,” police said, and he was transported to Stony Brook-Eastern Long Island Hospital.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
Kait’s Angels of Mattituck has partnered with Long Island-based LifeVac to provide anti-choking devices to local organizations, police departments and schools. The nonprofit hosted a demonstration and distributed the simple, single-use kits at Branch Brewery on Friday.
LifeVac is a non-powered, non-invasive airway clearance device developed for aiding a victim with an airway obstruction when other choking interventions have failed. The mask goes over the victim’s mouth and nose. The plunger is pressed down and then tugged upward, allowing the suction to dislodge the obstruction. The device has a one-way valve, preventing air from enter a choking victim on the downward motion. The minimal duration of the suction makes LifeVac safe and effective.
“We’re going to put them in every car, put them on our marine vessels and in our headquarters. Everybody is currently in training,” Southold Police Chief Steven Grattan said. “This is going to enhance what our officers do and will save somebody’s life if and when they are choking.”
Choking is all too common: the New York State Deparment of Health lists it as the fourth leading cause of death for children under five. A victim has roughly four minutes to clear their airway before brain damage occurs, making LifeVac a critical resource. “We do respond to calls, not very often, but we do respond to calls of toddlers and adults who are choking,” Chief Grattan said. “Quite often, before we get there, the object is dislodged, but this will enhance our ability (to assist.)”
Kait’s Angels was created in memory of Kaitlyn Doorhy, whose life was cut short at age 20 when she was struck by a vehicle while walking near Sacred Heart University in August of 2014.
LifeVac and Kait’s Angels have a similar mission to help communities and individuals intercede for one another. According to the nonprofit’s president, William Araneo, the donation of these kits aligns with the values Kaitlyn Doorhy embodied. “Because of Kait we were driven to create Kait’s Angels, an entity which facilitates her legacy, “ he said. “This project complements our mission in that we strive to provide emotional and financial support for our North Fork neighbors focusing on physical and mental well-being. LifeVac will be a vital addition for our educators, police and others to ensure the well-being of those in crisis.”
LifeVac has been used to save more than 3000 choking victims all over the country. “In a matter of time we will get a save on the North Fork because of today,” said LifeVac CEO Michael Plunkett. “LifeVac does better in these midsized to smaller communities where people really care about each other and want to make a difference. Local people care, they go out, they find a cause, and they try to make a difference.”
Beyond the area schools and police departments who accepted donations, the Southold Town Board is also considering adding LifeVac devices to public facilities across the North Fork. “Anything we can do to make the community safer is great. We’re grateful for it,” Town Supervisor Al Krupski said Friday, adding that officials are considering equipping the Human Resource Center and the Rec Center with a LifeVac devices as these venues often host events where food is served. “That’s been the discussion this morning,” Mr. Krupski said. “We’ll start from there.”
Joe Doorhy, Kait’s father, emphasized his desire to make the kits available to more North Fork schools. “If they want it, we will try to make that happen.”
For two months now, residents across the Northeast have reported thousands of mysterious nighttime drone sightings, and the Federal Aviation Administration — which has sole authority over U.S. airspace — has yet to explain what is behind the phenomenon. In growing numbers, local and state officials are calling on the federal government to do more to help identify the drones, pursue pilots operating unlawfully and make sense of the situation to an increasingly wary American public. Here is a closer look at some of the unfolding developments that have come to light in recent weeks.
Have drones been spotted over the East End?
There have been multiple reports of unexplained drone activity on both forks, including several over Southold and three over Riverhead last month, as well as at least one over Shelter Island and one in Laurel this month. Just after the New Year, county officials revealed that Francis Gabreski airport in Westhampton Beach has experienced repeated breaches of restricted airspace surrounding the airport, which serves as the headquarters of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard.
There is little uniformity among the sightings. Some drones have been observed hovering for hours in one place, while other reports detail clusters of drones or unidentified objects flying in various patterns.
Southold Police Chief Steven Grattan — himself a licensed drone pilot — said recently that residents and police officers reported sightings of “sedan-sized” drones above Orient, Mattituck, Cutchogue and Southold on Dec. 13 and 14 that appeared to be flying in an unusual pattern.
According to this report, “[law enforcement] personnel observed drones [that] appeared to be flying in a zigzag-style pattern near Route 48 and Route 25 in the Mattituck, Cutchogue and Southold areas.”
North Haven resident David Wind was in his backyard under a “crystal clear sky” just after dusk on Christmas night when he spotted what appeared to be a large drone about 1,000 to 1,500 feet in the air, hovering in a stationary position.
“As I watched it, I started looking around, and I noticed a couple [of] planets, and then I saw a few more [drones],” he said in an interview. “And as I started counting, I identified, the first night … seven distinct and similar shaped items, all with the same pattern of blinking.”
Mr. Wind, an attorney and a drone pilot, said the light patterns on the drones were triangular in shape, unlike the quad copter design of many consumer drones, including his own DJI Mavic.
“These were not ordinary aircraft,” he said, adding that there was “no discernable noise whatsoever.”
Then Mr. Wind spotted another drone, “even lower,” hovering over the bridge connecting North Haven to Sag Harbor, and called police.
“They sent a bunch of officers out, and they were able to corroborate they were drones,” he said, adding that afterward, the officers “went to Long Beach and saw an even higher number of them.”
Mr. Wind said that he watched the drones hover for what “must have been four or five hours. A few of them moved, but really with no discernable pattern.”
The sightings continued for three nights, he said.
A Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office drone (Credit: Chris Francescani)
What’s being done in terms of detection and deterrence?
At a Jan. 3 press conference, county officials pressed for federal help after the rash of drone sightings over or near Gabreski became a threat to airport operations. As with all working airports, the five-mile radius surrounding the base is a no-fly zone for drones.
Suffolk County Chief Deputy Sheriff Chris Brockmeyer said drones are being spotted “over the airport, over taxiways, over runways — and that’s a serious safety concern.”
A 2018 FAA study found that drone collisions can cause more structural damage to airplanes than birds of the same weight at a given impact speed.
In response to the Gabreski airport press conference, an FAA spokesperson said in a statement that the agency “looks into all reports of unauthorized drone operations and investigates when appropriate.
The large circle in red denotes controlled airspace around Francis Gabreski airport in Westhampton Beach.
A DeDrone detection system was installed earlier this month at Gabreski airport, according to Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon’s office.
The system works by using a combination of sensors that include radio frequency detectors, radar and cameras which are analyzed by AI algorithms to spot, track and locate drones in real time. The devices can sometimes pinpoint pilot locations, according to the manufacturer, Axon, a multi-billion-dollar technology company with a focus on public safety, which also produces police Tasers and body-worn cameras. Another drone detection system made by Robin Radar Systems is also in use in New York state, according to NBC News.
While Suffolk County officials said that attempting to shoot down drones flying in restricted airspace is extremely dangerous — “too dangerous” — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said last month that his county police were authorized to fire on drones that pose a threat.
“We don’t want to wait until we have some kind of disastrous event to then say, ‘Well, we could have done this and we could have done that,’ ” Mr. Blakeman said.
“The Nassau County Police Department has the authority and certainly has my approval that if there is a mass gathering anywhere and there is a drone that is a threat to the public at large, they have the authority and the jurisdiction and the right to shoot down that drone.”
Mr. Blakeman’s statements followed the FAA’s implementation of a temporary drone ban over parts of New Jersey and New York, which authorized local law enforcement agencies to use “deadly force” if a drone presented an “imminent security threat.”
Geo-fencing, “directed energy” weapons designed to neutralize small drones remotely and other counter-drone strategies are evolving rapidly, but most are currently out of reach for local agencies.
What are the rules for legal drone operations?
All drones that weigh .55 pounds or more must be registered with the FAA and more than one million are currently registered in the U.S., according to the agency. Recreational operators are required to pass the FAA’s Recreational UAS Safety Test, known as TRUST. To become a commercially licensed drone pilot, which generally includes anyone who profits from drone use, requires far more extensive training and passing the FAA’s Part 107 exam. Both commercial and recreational drones must remain at or below 400 feet at all times, and the drone must remain within the line of sight of the pilot or, in some cases, a spotter.
Drone pilots cannot fly in restricted airspace without explicit permission — which in some instances can be obtained by using LAANC [Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability], an online tool to secure real-time authorization through apps like B4UFly. Until a few years ago, it was illegal to operate a drone at night in the U.S. without a federal waiver. In 2021, the FAA began authorizing night flights for drones equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least three miles.
Has anyone been caught in connection with the unexplained sightings?
Suffolk County officials said that none of the drone pilots behind recent aerial incursions into Gabreski airspace have been identified. Despite a Congressional mandate to incorporate millions of consumer and commercial drones into U.S. airspace in recent years, the FAA remains severely limited in its ability to enforce its own regulations. Between October 2022 and June 2024, the FAA fined a total of just 27 operators for violating federal drone regulations.
When did this phenomenon start?
The nighttime drone sightings began in mid-November in New Jersey and have spread throughout the tri-state area, with more than 5,000 sightings reported across the Northeast. Witnesses have described seeing clusters of what appeared to be drones — many of them larger than typical hobby drones, and some as large as cars — racing through the night skies. Public concerns first spread in November after the unidentified objects appeared near the U.S. military research and manufacturing facility known as the Picatinny Arsenal, as well as over President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Gov. Kathy Hochul first acknowledged the sightings on Dec. 13 but said that, “at this time there’s no evidence that these drones pose a public safety or a national security threat.”
In a joint statement issued last month, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, along with the FBI and the FAA, said the public should not be concerned.
“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the statement said. “We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast.”
The Association of Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, the nation’s largest nonprofit industry trade group, weighed in last month as well, with AUVSI president Michael Robbins saying that drones have become a vital component of dozens of industries ranging from first responders and law enforcement to agriculture, film-making and infrastructure inspections.
“However, the lack of adequate government investment in airspace awareness technology has left the nation ill-equipped to reliably distinguish between lawful drone operations, careless activity and potential threats,” Mr. Robbins said in a statement. “This week’s sightings highlight the urgent need for the U.S. to modernize its approach to airspace monitoring and regulation. The lack of clear rules and sufficient airspace awareness has led to these positive applications being overshadowed by concerns of misuse and safety. ”
What to do if you spot a suspected unauthorized drone
State, county and local police departments are fielding — and investigating — reports of drone sightings. Chief Grattan said that sightings logged by his department are forwarded to the New York State Office of Counter Terrorism, Homeland Security and the Suffolk County Police Department. A spokesperson for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office said that drone sightings can be reported to SheriffTips@SuffolkCountyNy.gov or by calling 311. The FAA’s 77 field offices also take reports directly on the agency’s websites.
Next week, some of Greenport’s finest young basketball players will be facing off in a charity showdown against members of the Southold Police Deptartment at Greenport High School.
TheFirst Annual Cops and Community Basketball Game starts at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. Tickets — $12 for adults; $6 for children — can be purchased at givebutter.com.
This month’s game is an outgrowth of a village tradition: a summer basketball tournament whose roots stretch back to the early 1990s, when it was known as Joanne “JoJo” Jackson’s tournament and was the highlight of the summer for many local kids. At its peak, the old tournament featured cheerleaders in outfits hand-sewn by local seamstresses and for a while there was even a fashion show.
The revived summer tournament, now known as the North Fork Kid Connect basketball tournament, has been held each summer since 2021. Last summer’s tournament for the first time featured a cops versus community players as the day’s finale.
The tournament, which is free to local children, also featured a DJ, a grill master and a half-time show performed by the North Fork Dance Company.
Next week’s event is a fundraiser for NOFO Kids Connnect Inc., a non-profit created last year to fund the annual summer tournament. The Southold PBA is also a sponsor of Friday night’s game.
“I was just talking with some of the basketball players from the community team last night, and they are so excited,” said Candace Hall, one of the organizers of the summer tournament and next week’s game.
Southold police officer (and referee) Ryan Creighton with a winning team at the 2024 event. (Courtesy photo)
Ms. Hall said the ball court showdown last summer between local teens and police was a hit with everyone involved, and prompted organizers — including herself, Destiny Salter and Southold Police Officer Ryan Creighton — to break out the police game into its own event.
“Everybody enjoyed it,” Mr. Creighton said. “It was good time.”
She said that there is a strong connection between longtime Greenport residents, particularly in the Black community, and Southold police — and that events like this reinforce that bond.
“I think we’re blessed to be a model for relationships [between] the police deptartment and the community, and that’s been going on for a long time here,” she said. “Now, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but … we know our cops, which is, I think, the way it should be. We know these people because they grew up here. We have respect for them.”
She said it’s also an important opportunity for local police.
“When they’re called somewhere, they are not always seeing an ideal moment in someone’s life,” Ms. Hall said. “Good people don’t always make good choices, and they are seeing people in a very vulnerable place. And I think it’s really beautiful if they know these people and can see that this is a bad moment, not a bad person.”
Mr. Creighton agreed, saying he likes the games because of “the fact that you get to see a different side of people.” He said it’s important for residents to know that “we’re involved in the community in different ways other than just patrolling and policing.”
Mr. Creighton hadn’t finalized his lineup by late last week, but said that in addition to fellow cops, his team will include two young players he coaches: Julian and Jaxan Swann. Officers Steve Ficner and Dan Fedun played for the police in July.
In 2014, the Third St. court was renovated and renamed the “Third St. Memorial Basketball Court,” in honor of four village residents who had died young in separate incidents but shared a love for the court, which sits between Center Street and and North Street.
No arrests were made in Southold Town between Jan. 27 and Feb. 3.
On Jan. 27, police responded to a 911 hang-up call in Cutchogue. Hadley Wiggins, 39, reported troubles with her landline and said she would call Optimum to fix the issue. No further action was taken.
On Jan. 28, town employee Sharon Glassman, 44, of Southold reported that she had uncovered a fraudulent check for $2,700 in an email that the town did not issue. Southold Town did not suffer a financial loss and no further action was taken.
On Jan. 27, Angel Lopez, 43, age and address unavailable, was cited for urinating on the sidewalk outside 200 Front St., Greenport. Mr. Lopez was issued a Greenport Village appearance ticket.
On Jan. 29, a wallet was returned to Samuel Smith, 57, of Aquebogue after it was found outside Greenport High School.
On Jan. 29, Ronald Atkinson, 87, of Cutchogue reported misplacing his Florida-issued pistol license. Mr. Atkinson found his license and no further action was taken.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
On Feb. 3, a Mattituck maintenance company reported an incident of identity theft, according to police. The owners told authorities they received a package from Inland Empire Industrial Tool & Supplies containing tools they did not order, along with a bill for $529.
On Feb. 3, a 26-year-old Mattituck man was banned from a Main Road dentist’s office after allegedly brandishing a wrench when he learned that his appointment would not be honored. According to police, he repeatedly said, “If I don’t get my appointment back there will be a big problem; you will find out,” while spinning the tool. The office manager declined to press charges but signed a notice of trespass barring the patient from returning to the office.
On Feb. 4, police were called to the Southold Town Transfer Station after the operator of a wheel loader overturned while trying to dump mulch on a pile. The operator, who complained of pain in his right leg, which contains metal rods placed after a traumatic injury in 2019, was treated at the scene and then transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for further treatment.
On Feb. 5, a Southold woman reported being the victim of identity theft. She told police there was an unknown charge on her credit card from Samsonite for $600.15. Police advised her to contact her bank and cancel the credit card and contact Samsonite to request a refund.
On. Feb, 5, a Mattituck man reported an unauthorized credit card charge of $731.51 from Huntington ski shop. The man was in possession of his card, but was told by the vendor that the card had been physically swiped during the purchase. He filed a report and contacted the credit bureaus to request a fraud alert on his accounts.
On Feb. 6, a Southold man reported being the victim of identity theft. He told police that he noticed an unauthorized charge for $4,480 on his Paypal account, and then accessed his Schwab equities account and found that someone was trading his stocks at a loss. The man told police he recently had a technology company at his home working on his computer and they had swapped out his hard drive for a new one. He contacted Paypal and Schwab to request that his accounts be frozen until the issue is resolved.
On Feb. 7, a Greenport village official reported that two apparently undomiciled persons were drinking alcohol in Mitchell Park. A responding officer located the two 43-yearold men, but observed that “neither subject was drinking or bothering anyone.”
On Feb. 7, Courtney Crowley, 50, of Greenport was arrested for alleged driving while intoxicated, according to police, after she was pulled over for allegedly driving 37 mph in a 15 mph school zone. She also performed poorly on field sobriety tests, according to the report.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
