The Suffolk County Police Commissioner leads one of the largest county police departments in the United States, overseeing roughly 2,500 sworn officers who serve about 1.5 million residents on Long Island.1Wikipedia. Suffolk County Police Department Kevin Catalina currently holds the position as the department’s 16th commissioner, confirmed by the Suffolk County Legislature in February 2025.2Suffolk County Government. Romaine Announces Kevin Catalina Confirmed as New Suffolk County Police Commissioner The role controls department policy, staffing, discipline, and budget preparation for the agency that patrols five of the county’s ten towns.
Who Kevin Catalina Is
Catalina was sworn in after the Suffolk County Legislature approved his nomination at its February 4, 2025, general meeting.2Suffolk County Government. Romaine Announces Kevin Catalina Confirmed as New Suffolk County Police Commissioner He brings more than 33 years of law enforcement experience across two of the country’s largest agencies.
His career began in 1992 as a patrol officer in the NYPD’s 103rd Precinct. Over 27 years there he rose through supervisory and command positions, including Deputy Chief leading the Gang Division, commander of the Intelligence Bureau’s Operational and Analytical Section, and executive officer of Patrol Borough Manhattan North, where he directed operations across 12 precinct commands. After retiring from the NYPD, he served more than five years as Undersheriff for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Suffolk County Police Department as Deputy Police Commissioner.2Suffolk County Government. Romaine Announces Kevin Catalina Confirmed as New Suffolk County Police Commissioner
What the Commissioner Controls
The commissioner holds broad authority over day-to-day operations. That includes issuing general orders governing how officers respond to calls, handle evidence, and use technology. Personnel decisions run through the same office: appointing, promoting, transferring, and disciplining department members. The disciplinary authority is one of the most consequential parts of the job because it sets the tone for accountability across the force.
Budget preparation is another core duty. Under the Suffolk County Charter, each department head submits annual estimates of revenues and operating expenses to the County Executive. For the police department that means assembling a budget covering salaries for thousands of officers and civilian employees, patrol vehicles, forensic equipment, training, and specialized units. The proposal moves through the County Executive’s office to the legislature for approval, and any significant deviation from the approved budget must be reported in writing to both the executive and every legislator.3Suffolk County, NY. Suffolk County Code – Article IV County Budget and Capital Program
The commissioner also decides how to organize and staff specialized units covering homicide, narcotics, intelligence, emergency services, and marine operations, and can reorganize bureaus when operational needs shift. Joint operations with state and federal agencies fall under the commissioner as well. Suffolk County’s proximity to New York City and its long coastline mean drug interdiction, gang investigations, and homeland security work frequently involve multiagency task forces run alongside routine patrol operations.
How the Commissioner Is Appointed and Removed
Suffolk County Charter Article XIII, Section C13-2 keeps the process straightforward: the County Executive nominates a candidate, and the Suffolk County Legislature must approve the choice.4Suffolk County, NY. Suffolk County Code Article XIII – Department of Police – Section C13-2 Appointment of Commissioner The commissioner then serves at the pleasure of the County Executive, meaning the executive can remove the commissioner without needing to show cause.
In practice, legislative review runs in stages. The Legislature’s Public Safety Committee typically reviews the nomination first, and a public hearing gives community members and legislators a chance to question the candidate about priorities. If the committee advances the nomination, the full eighteen-member legislature votes on confirmation.5Suffolk County Legislature. Leadership Catalina’s confirmation followed that sequence after County Executive Edward Romaine’s nomination.
The Charter does not impose specific residency, citizenship, or minimum-experience requirements. It does include one notable provision: if the person appointed already has at least ten years of service as a police officer, they retain their police officer status and all the duties that come with it while serving as commissioner.4Suffolk County, NY. Suffolk County Code Article XIII – Department of Police – Section C13-2 Appointment of Commissioner That matters for pension calculations and for the ability to exercise police powers directly rather than only administratively. A commissioner without that prior service still leads the department, but does so as a civilian appointee.
There is no fixed term length. Because the commissioner serves at pleasure, the position can change whenever a new executive takes office or the current executive decides a leadership change is needed. Commissioners often transition when county leadership changes after an election, though some have served across multiple administrations. Any successor must go through the same legislative confirmation process before taking office.
What the Department Actually Covers
The Suffolk County Police Department does not patrol the entire county. It provides police services to five of the ten towns in Suffolk County; the remaining towns and several incorporated villages maintain their own police forces.1Wikipedia. Suffolk County Police Department The department operates seven precincts across its coverage area, and each precinct commander reports up through the chain of command to the commissioner.6Suffolk County Police Department. Precincts Complaints, requests, or questions about policing in a town or village outside SCPD’s coverage need to go to that jurisdiction’s own department.
Oversight and Limits on the Role
Civilian complaints about officer conduct go through the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Once an investigation is completed, the resulting report is reviewed by IAB command staff and then by the Deputy Police Commissioner.7Suffolk County Police Department. Compliment Complaint Form In cases involving potential criminal conduct, the report may also be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office.8Suffolk County Police Department. IAB Procedure The commissioner sets the department’s investigative procedures and standards for these reviews, which shapes how misconduct complaints are treated at every level.
Labor relations add another constraint. Contract negotiations with police unions, including the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, are historically handled by the County Executive’s office rather than the commissioner directly. The commissioner controls many of the working conditions that end up at the bargaining table, and the resulting collective bargaining agreements dictate the procedures for internal investigations and officer discipline. Where those agreements include detailed “bill of rights” protections for officers under investigation, the commissioner has to work within them even when exercising disciplinary authority.
The Suffolk County Code of Ethics (Chapter 77) applies to the commissioner like any other county official, prohibiting conflicts of interest, certain outside financial activities, and dual office-holding. Post-employment restrictions also limit what a former commissioner can do after leaving office.