Southold Town police arrested a 21-year-old Peconic man on drug charges Saturday morning after he was found lying on the ground near Route 25 in Southold.

Officers located an intoxicated Kyle Sakowicz around 8:15 a.m. and found he was in possession of four Alprazolam pills he did not have a prescription for.

He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and released on an appearance ticket for a later court date, police said.

• Officers stopped a 77-year-old Riverhead woman for driving erratically on Route 25 in Laurel Sunday around 4:40 p.m.

She told police she was looking out the window at the scenery and was advised to pay more attention to the roadway.

• A Mattituck man reported to police Sunday afternoon that his mailbox had been knocked over and damaged overnight.

• Two people called police Sunday afternoon to report a light blue Honda CR-V with a New Jersey license plate driving the wrong way on Route 48 in Mattituck. Police canvassed the area but were unable to locate the vehicle.

• A Medford man was issued two traffic tickets — for driving without a valid license and failing to maintain his lane — following a traffic stop on Route 25 in Mattituck Friday around 5:15 p.m.

• Police advised a contractor working on Main Bayview Road in Southold to stop, as the work was in violation of the NYS Pause Act, Friday around 3 p.m. The man agreed to comply, according to a police report.

• Police were called after a 72-year-old man reportedly stole a bag of potting soil from Agway in Southold Friday around noon.

Police located the man at his Southold home, where he told police he did not realize he took the potting mix. He returned to the store and paid, police said.

• A man called police to report two BMWs doing doughnuts in the parking lot of a church on Depot Lane in Cutchogue last Wednesday around 4 p.m. The vehicles left the area before police arrived.

• A 66-year-old man called police to report a vehicle parked at the end of Sunset Lane in Southold for an extended period of time last Tuesday around 10 p.m.

Police responded and spoke to a 19-year-old who was sitting in the vehicle talking on his cellphone. He agreed to leave the area, reports said.

• Police were called after a dispute over money broke out between two Greenport men last Tuesday evening.

A 54-year-old man said he was hired to do work around a Sound Road residence and the homeowner, an 86-year-old man, owed him $200 and stole his leaf blower.

An officer facilitated the payment owed and return of the leaf blower, reports said.

• Police were called to a Manhanset Avenue marina in Greenport last Tuesday after a report of vehicles entering the property, which was supposed to be closed.

Two managers told police that the business is closed and they were present for security and maintenance reasons.

• Five cases of beer were reported stolen from a walk-in refrigerator on Atlantic Avenue in Greenport last Monday morning.

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.

The post Southold Blotter: Peconic man arrested on drug charge appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

A Mattituck woman called police Saturday to report a group of teenagers violating social distancing guidelines at Breakwater Beach in Mattituck.

According to a police report, an officer responded to the beach parking lot and found no problems.

• Police issued a summons to a 46-year-old Peconic man who abandoned a boat at Soundview Dunes Park Friday around 8:30 a.m.

• Extra police patrols were requested on Atlantic Avenue in Greenport after the third burglary in recent weeks was reported Sunday morning.

Police said an unknown person sawed the lock off of a walk-in refrigerator and stole multiple unspecified items.

• Police were called to a Mattituck convenience store Friday after a Greenport man argued with an employee about the price of gum.

He agreed to leave without further incident, police said.

• Southold police responded to a Cutchogue group home last Thursday after an employee reported a resident walking around with a long pencil, verbally abusing other residents and refusing to take her medication.

Once police arrived, the woman agreed to take her medication and “calm down for the night.”

• A Laurel man called police last Thursday around 11 p.m. after he heard an unknown man screaming outside in the area of Aldrich Lane.

After “many” units checked the area, no one was located, police said.

• A 45-year-old man was stopped on Main Road in Mattituck last Wednesday after a report of erratic driving.

The man told police he pulled over to let a tailgating vehicle pass him and had also been trying to keep a pizza box and hero from falling off the passenger seat, according to a police report.

• An aluminum ladder was reported stolen from an Orient residence last Thursday around 5 p.m.

• Two car batteries, two car radios, various electronic components, and driver’s side electric window controls were reported stolen from various unregistered vehicles on an Orient farm last Wednesday afternoon. An investigation is ongoing, according to police.

• A Cutchogue man driving a 2009 Honda eastbound on Eugene’s Road in Southold struck a wood chipper attached to a parked dump truck last Wednesday around noon.

According to a police report, the driver told police that he was looking up at a tree trimmer and was distracted. No injuries were reported in the accident.

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.

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A portion of Route 48 in Southold has been closed to traffic after a single-car crash late Sunday afternoon that required a medevac for a serious injury.

The crash occurred near Boisseau Avenue. Route 48 was closed between Boisseau and Youngs Avenue. A Suffolk police helicopter was called to the Southold substation to transport a victim at around 5:30 p.m.

Additional details were not immediately available.

This post will be updated as more information is released

The post Police investigating car crash as portion of Route 48 closed in Southold appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

Police arrested a Southold man for allegedly driving drunk after a single-car crash on Route 48 Sunday evening.

Police said Fredy Hernandez-Ramirez, age unavailable, was driving a 1997 Honda sedan eastbound around 5:15 p.m. when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a pole near Boisseau Avenue.

He told police he did not remember the crash directly before or during and was found to be intoxicated, according to a report.

Three injuries were reported in the crash and a portion of Route 48 was closed to traffic as a medevac helicopter responded to transport at least one victim. The extent of their injuries is unknown and Mr. Hernandez-Ramirez was charged with DWI.

• Two people from the Bronx were arrested for using counterfeit $100 bills last Monday.

Police received a report of the duo using the counterfeit bills in Riverhead town and were spotted driving eastbound on Route 25 in a black Audi.

Police stopped Alahnys De La Cruz, 18, and Shayla Perez, 21, near Feather Hill in Southold, where they were found to be in possession of counterfeit money. Each was charged with first degree possession of a forged instrument, officials said.

• Police are investigating after a package was reported stolen from the front porch of a West Street residence in Greenport last Thursday morning

• A 12-foot landscaping trailer was reported stolen from an Ackerly Pond Lane property in Southold Monday around 2 p.m.

• Police received another report of people fishing and having a fire on an East Marion beach Sunday around midnight.

An officer found everyone had a valid fishing license and was practicing safe social distancing. They advised a 28 year-old College Point man to put out the fire and to clean up their garbage before leaving.

• Police responded to a noise complaint on Ludlam Place in Greenport Sunday around 3:30 a.m. A 30 year-old man who was drinking with friends on his porch was told to keep the noise down.

• A Mattituck woman called police after she observed an unknown person walking around Cutchogue East Elementary School attempting to open almost every door Friday around 9:15 a.m.

After trying to enter, the subject reportedly left the area.

• A Greenport man called police Friday after a dispute with a man about picking up his dog’s waste. The unidentified man allegedly told him “I’m going to shoot you,” which he reported to police.

• A Southold woman called police Sunday afternoon to report two men playing golf inside Veteran’s Memorial Park, which is currently closed.

Police responded and told the men, both of Manhasset, that they must leave shortly before 2 p.m.

• A PSEG pole was damaged after a Connecticut man driving a tractor trailer struck a low hanging wire while leaving a parking lot on Peconic Lane in Southold Monday around 9:45 a.m.

• A Laurel woman called police last Monday after she dug up what appeared to be a handgun in her yard while planting trees.

An officer responded and concluded it may have been a toy gun and was badly rusted before disposing of it, police said.

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.

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Fire engines, ambulances and even some military vehicles lined Riley Avenue in Calverton Friday afternoon. A large American flag hung from two fire trucks on Twomey Avenue.

Just before 1 p.m., the sirens blared from dozens of vehicles as a Suffolk County police motorcade led an escort for Riverhead police officer Robert Sproston as he arrived home after more than six weeks of recovery at a hospital and rehab facility.

Firefighters, fellow officers and friends cheered as the parade passed en route to Robert’s home, where he’ll continue the next phase of rehab as part of his long recovery.

Robert, 28, who is a member of the Riverhead Fire Department’s Redbird Hook & Ladder Company, was seriously injured in a March 31 crash while responding to a report of a vehicle fleeing westbound from Greenport following a burglary. He was driving north in a marked police car with emergency lights activated on Osborn Avenue and collided with another car near the intersection of Youngs Avenue, causing the police car to go off the road and into a fence. The driver who led that police pursuit has since been arrested.

Mr. Sproston’s father, Bill, who’s also a volunteer firefighter in Riverhead, posted updates on his son’s condition during the hospital and rehab stays on a GoFundMe page created shortly after the late March crash.

“The hardest part through all of this is not being able to visit him due to COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic and hoping he understands why we aren’t by his side and that it’s not by our choice,” Bill Sproston posted May 6.

On April 24, Robert Sproston received a police and fire escort from Stony Brook University Hospital to St. Charles Rehabilitation Center, a top facility for patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries.

He underwent two major surgeries at Stony Brook, the first shortly after the crash and most recently a procedure April 14 to fix an orbital fracture around his right eye. The next day, his father wrote how relieved the family was to hear from the doctor that the surgery went well. Doctors spent five hours in the operating room and it took eight hours total from the time he left his room until he returned to the ICU.

Robert will still need to undergo cosmetic surgery to fix his lip and teeth.

By late April, Robert began sitting up in his chair and could stand with full assistance for 10-15 seconds, his father wrote.

“It’s baby steps like this he needs to keep taking to continue to make a strong comeback,” Bill wrote. “He’s more alert now and getting more consistent with following commands upon his assessments such as look left/right, nod your head yes/no, give me a thumbs up, give me a high five, wave to me, lift your left/right leg.”

While he continued to gain strength each day, he also easily tired.

Four weeks after the crash, as he began recovering at St. Charles, Robert walked across his room and down the hall to physical therapy session with assistance of a walker. He later wrote on an iPad: “When am I going home?”

Two weeks into the rehab, Robert made “tremendous progress” as his “strength, reflexes, fine and gross motor skills” began coming along.

“We are starting to see some of Robert’s personality shine through as well,” Mr. Sproston wrote.

Last week, Robert had his jaw unwired which allows him to begin speech therapy and working his jaw muscles again since they weren’t in use for six weeks.

“Robert has continued to show his determination and perseverance of what a true hero he is,” his father wrote.

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Two drivers were issued summonses for driving over 100 mph on Route 48 in Cutchogue Friday around 5 p.m.

A speed enforcement officer observed a Manhattan man driving a blue Audi at 103 mph and observed a black Cadillac pass the Audi at over 110 mph in Southold, police said.

The Audi driver told police he was having an issue with the other driver and did not realize how fast he was going.

Both drivers were issued traffic tickets, officials said.

• Police were called to a restaurant on Front Street in Greenport Monday morning after a report of an unknown man banging on the window and causing a disturbance.

Police advised the 61-year-old Greenport man to stay away from the location.

• A woman called police to report an unknown man sleeping on her back porch Friday around 6 a.m.

Police responded a found a 21-year-old Greenport man sleeping on her outdoor furniture and was asked to leave. No charges were filed, police said.

• A 50 year-old Cutchogue woman called police after she got into a dispute with her neighbor over packages being delivered to the wrong house.

Each woman was advised to contact the post office and not contact each other further.

• A 43 year-old Woodhaven man was issued a summons after he was found with two undersized striped bass and 28 undersized scallops on Fifth Street in Greenport Sunday around 11 a.m.

• Two men were asked to leave the Southold 7-Eleven Friday afternoon after causing a disturbance, attempting to buy beer without ID and allegedly threatening customers, according to a police report.

Both men left the area on a bus, police said.

• Police were called to Front Street in Greenport Friday afternoon after two men got into a dispute over wearing face masks.

A man not wearing a mask was advised he must wear one when out in public, reports said.

• Landscaping equipment was reported stolen from a trailer parked on First Street in Greenport last Thursday morning around 9 a.m.

• An officer was called to Cedar Beach in Southold Saturday after several fishermen were reportedly fishing without licenses.

Police found more than 30 people fishing on the beach, each of whom had a valid fishing licenses but did not have valid green key passes to park and were asked to leave, officials said.

• Police are investigating an alleged break-in at the CAST building in Greenport last Thursday morning after employees found a window opened and dirt on the floor inside.

Nothing was reported stolen and officials believe the subject entered to spend the evening and left earlier that morning.

• A group of teens was asked to extinguish a bonfire on Skunk Lane in Cutchogue last Tuesday around 9:40 p.m.

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.

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A 59-year-old Cutchogue woman called police Sunday around 5 p.m. to report that she heard gunshots while painting on a bluff near Oregon Road.

The woman said she heard multiple gun shots and after her husband yelled up the bluff, the shots increased and she “felt she was being shot at.”

Police spoke to a homeowner on Oregon Road who told police he was skeet shooting in his backyard with friends and shots fired over the bluff were accidental. Police noted that they were using hearing protection that limited their ability to hear anyone shouting from the beach.

The 44-year-old homeowner told police he would move to a different part of his property so that this incident would not happen again.

• A Mattituck woman called police Friday morning after she found an intoxicated 30-year-old man asleep on her front lawn.

Police escorted the man back to his Mattituck residence and no charges were filed.

• A Bayside man called police Saturday to report a large group of people pitching tents and smoking marijuana at Orient Point County Park Saturday around 3 p.m.

Police arrived and told a 47-year-old Corona man that he was not allowed to camp on county property unless it was in a designated campground area. He was asked to take his tents down and police said they did not detect the odor of marijuana.

• Police were called Sunday around 7 p.m. after a man driving a tractor on Route 25 in Orient reported that four unknown youths passing in an SUV screamed obscenities at him and threw a beer can at the hood of his tractor.

Police were unable to locate the vehicle, according to the report.

• An Orient man called police to report that property was stolen from his boat at Stirling Harbor Marina in Greenport Saturday around 2 p.m. A police report did not specify what the items were.

• Police responded to a report of a suspicious person near Long Creek Drive in Southold Sunday around 3 a.m.

A Southold man called to report that an unknown female was on his property, looking through his vehicle, and then fled the area in a vehicle. Police found the unidentified 30-year-old Manorville woman nearby, sitting in her vehicle nearby which was not running.

She told police she was “just parked relaxing” before she drove home, but was advised to make alternative arrangements to get home after an officer noticed signs of intoxication.

• The Southold Fire Department extinguished a small chimney fire at a home on Route 48 in Peconic shortly after midnight Monday. No injuries or structural damage were reported.

• A Mattituck man called police to complain about loud music coming from a home on Westphalia Avenue in Mattituck around 3 a.m. Saturday.

A 43-year-old woman apologized to police for the disturbance and agreed to turn the music off for the night, reports said.

• An 86-year-old Greenport woman reported a large group walking on Sound Drive in Greenport that was not socially distancing Saturday afternoon.

Police responded and noted that a few families were all separated while walking the trail next to the beach around 1 p.m.

• A Brooklyn woman called police around 4 p.m. Saturday after she heard gunshots near Route 48 in Southold. Police found a family shooting clay pigeons on their property legally, reports said.

• A man was reportedly seen taking a bottle of Bacardi rum from the bar aboard the Cross Sound Ferry while traveling from Orient to New London Sunday around 10 a.m.

• A man called police last Thursday to report that a go-kart driving recklessly nearly hit him and his wife while they were walking on Oaklawn Avenue in Southold around 5 p.m. Police were unable to locate the go-kart driver.

• Mattituck Fire Department extinguished flames emanating from a bucket of rags that were used to stain wood at a home on Ole Jule Lane in Mattituck last Wednesday around 7 p.m.

• Police and Department of Environmental Conservation officials issued 53 summonses after nearly 400 people were seen using Cedar Beach County Park in Southold Saturday around 11 a.m.

• A dead seal was found on the beach near Soundview Drive in Peconic last Thursday afternoon.

• A 49-year-old Mattituck man called police last Tuesday after he let a friend borrow his car and she never returned it. He told police that he doesn’t know where she lives or what her phone number is, since his cellphone was left inside his vehicle.

• Police arrested James Smith, 59, of Cutchogue, on larceny charges last Tuesday after he allegedly stole items from Walgreens in Mattituck. 

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.

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A countywide disruption to the 911 system has affected all the East End departments, according to police.

To reach Southold Town police, dial 631-765-2562. That number will ring into the Suffolk police 911 center in Yaphank and redirected to Southold’s dispatch center.

“The company that the county contracts with for the 911 system is working on the issue,” Southold Chief Martin Flatley said in an email. “We are currently working on re-routing our 911 calls through the SCPD 911 system, with it being re-directed back to us while they work on their system. We all have back-up plans for our systems, but they rely on other department’s PSAPS, however with all being down, that plan is unusable.”

The Riverhead and Southampton police departments also sent out alerts early Monday morning that their 911 systems are down.

To contact Riverhead police, call 631-727-4500, ext. 352 or ext. 602. Police said there may be a delay when calling the number, but to stay on the line to be connected to the police department.

Southampton police are asking the public to call 631-702-2273 or 631-702-2223 until the system is restored.

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Hundreds gathered at Jean Cochran Park in Peconic Wednesday for a peaceful demonstration against police brutality.

Holding up a sign that said ‘Black Lives Matter,’ Connise Black Williams addressed the crowd, providing an insight into her experience as a black woman raising a family on the North Fork.

“We were the only blacks on the block,” she said, in both Mattituck and Cutchogue. “I had to constantly tell my children we can’t do this or do that because we don’t want the neighbors to think we’re bad. My children are good children, as you can see,” she said, motioning to her son, Kenny, who organized Wednesday’s rally.

Still, she fears for the lives of her sons and family members. “Let’s keep it real,” Ms. Williams said. “There’s privilege, and there’s those that are afraid every day.”

Protests have erupted in cities across the nation in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man killed in Minneapolis last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

All four cops involved in the incident have been fired and officials announced Wednesday that all are now facing felony charges related to the killing.

“We are here today for a specific reason and it starts with black lives mattering,” Kenny Black, 27, said. “That is not to take any credit away from any other life, whether they’re white, Asian, Hispanic, whatever. We all matter but we can’t all matter until black lives matter.”

Before a predominantly white crowd, each speaker challenged attendees to take action. “It can’t just come from our community,” said Michelle McMoore of Greenport. “It has to come from every community. It’s not just our problem, it’s everybody’s problem.”

Aterahme Lawrence of Shelter Island said that while the demonstrations are not anti-police, members of law enforcement must also speak up about the unnecessary violence.

“We are standing for people of all colors ,” she said. “But you need to stand with us.”

Samantha Hokanson, a Southold native, called on the North Fork community to come together and confront racism head on. “In 2020, little has truly changed for black people and people of color,” she said. “We still allow these groups of people to be marginalized, murdered and denied their humanity. It is shameful and it is dangerous.”

Ms. Hokanson said she’d like to propose a grassroots initiative to re-educate the white community on the North Fork on how to be true advocates and allies. She asked anyone interested in getting involved to contact her at samantha.hokanson@gmail.com.

Following the rally, the group marched down Peconic Lane toward Southold Police Headquarters chanting “No justice, no peace! No racist police!”

Silence overtook the crowd as they zeroed in on police headquarters, taking a knee in front of the building in solidarity with protestors around the world. Some chanted “Take a knee” to Southold and New York State police officers, including Chief Martin Flatley who stood in a line outside of the precinct.

Police accountability took on a new meaning for Wednesday’s demonstration in Southold in the wake of a retirement party held last weekend for a retiring police sergeant that broke pandemic guidelines.

“I know there’s a lot of angry feelings toward that retirement party,” Mr. Black said. “That’s in the past. The only thing we can do now is ask for accountability.”

The silence he said, is deafening.

Mr. Black said he was truly overwhelmed at how many attended the protest. “I didn’t think I’d be able to reach this many people,” he said. “This isn’t a white versus black issue. This is everyone against racism. And we need everyone.”

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A 37-year-old Valley Stream man was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Peconic Sunday around midnight.

Gilberto Gregorio was stopped on Route 48 after an officer observed him failing to maintain his westbound lane of travel. He was arrested for DWI after failing a standardized field sobriety test, police said. According to a police report, officers spoke with an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old who appeared to be passengers in the vehicle. An investigation is ongoing, officials said.

• A Woodside, N.Y., man was cited Sunday for parking at Breakwater Beach in Mattituck without a resident permit. He was issued an additional ticket for a suspended vehicle registration.

• A 32-year-old Southold man was issued a summons for driving without a license on Route 25 in Cutchogue last Tuesday around 9 p.m.

• An unknown man tried to use a counterfeit bill at Love Lane Sweet Shoppe Friday around 12:30 p.m., according to a police report.

• A 72-year-old man contacted police Saturday around 7:30 p.m. to report fishermen on his private property.

An Elizabeth, N.J., man police spoke to apologized for accidentally trespassing on the man’s property, according to a report.

• Southold police responded to Renee’s in Mattituck last Tuesday after a report that there was shopping activity at the store. 

According to a police report, an officer found all doors to the location locked around 5:30 p.m.

• A Mattituck man called police to report a video camera was stolen from outside his Harbor View Avenue home last Monday around 4 p.m.

• An East Moriches woman was asked to leave a drive-in movie event in Mattituck last Wednesday for handing out fliers for a competing drive-in movie company during the event.

• Police charged a 21-year-old Greenport man with resisting arrest last Monday around 1 p.m. According to police, while trying to arrest Jesus Mendoza for public consumption of alcohol on Adams Street, he began yelling profanities and struggling with an officer.

He was eventually placed under arrested and charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct in addition to a village code violation, police said.

• Police told a group of young people to stop jumping off a bridge into Goose Creek Saturday around 3:30 p.m.

• A Southold man driving a 2017 Lexus was injured after his vehicle left the roadway and collided with a pole on Sound Avenue near Kirkup Lane last Monday around 3:30 p.m. The man told police he has sleep apnea and possibly fell asleep.

A report did not provide information about the extent of his injuries.

• Two vehicles were reportedly damaged on Indian Neck Lane in Peconic last Monday after an unknown subject threw rocks at the windshields.

The incident was reported around 7:30 p.m.

• Police responded to Third Street in Greenport last Monday around 2 p.m. and advised an intoxicated man to stop yelling.

• An East Marion woman called police last Monday to report a loud party near her Bay Avenue home around 11:45 p.m.

Police responded and spoke to a 27-year-old East Marion woman who told police she was having a birthday party with several friends and agreed to keep music and noise to a low level.

• A man called police last Monday to report a group of youths on the roof of a building on Main Street in Greenport around 10 p.m.

An officer told a group of about 15 kids who were playing hide and seek in the area to return to their residences and maintain social distance.

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.

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In March, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and placed nearly every aspect of life on “pause,” counselors at The Retreat, an agency that comes to the aid of sexual and domestic abuse victims on the East End, were preparing for an influx of calls.

Many of those calls did not come, leading advocates to worry that victims have become even more isolated as a byproduct of the pandemic.

“We felt people weren’t able to call because they were trapped with their abuser,” Loretta Davis, executive director of The Retreat, said in an interview Friday. “Home isn’t really safe.”

It’s that knowledge, Ms. Davis said, that led the organization to launch a new online live-chat option, in addition to counseling via telephone and Zoom. “We felt we had more to do,” she said, after seeing an initial drop off in calls. Ms. Davis said the chat capability includes an option to easily exit and automatically erases the messages to provide an added level of security.

As restrictions began to ease in May, however, Ms. Davis said she noticed an uptick in calls. On one particular day, a woman called three or four times. “She was able to lock herself in a room, in a shed. People could finally make that call,” Ms. Davis said.

Locally, police statistics also do not necessarily reflect the same sharp rise in domestic violence that has been documented at state and national levels since the crisis began. 

According to a report released last Thursday by Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller, total calls received by the department overall are down from 2019. Riverhead police responded to 63 domestic incidents in April 2020, compared to 58 in April 2019. In January of this year, Riverhead police received 80 domestic violence calls, the report said.

“Basically, we are down almost in everything except for domestic incidents and non-criminal incidents. Even domestics are not going up that much. We’re only up by five from the 2019 numbers,” Chief Hegermiller explained during a Riverhead Town Board work session last week. “Last month, the domestic incidents were down even more. They were down by 20 or so. So we’re in good shape. It has actually been a slow couple of months on that front,” he said.

In Southold, Police Chief Martin Flatley said, “Those calls are on the upswing. I’ve looked at [reports for March] but I think April will tell, when that comes in.” In March 2019 the department had 12 domestic calls; 15 were received in the same month this year, he said. 

“People are shuttered in their house with family members, or with other situations where there’s orders of protection in place,” Chief Flatley said. “But we haven’t got to the point where the numbers are up dramatically.”

Ms. Davis said it’s not surprising that calls to police were down, since an estimated 40% of domestic and sexual assault incidents go unreported. “We’re first responders, really, to this,” she said, adding that many survivors fear making even an anonymous phone call for help since abusers thrive on misinformation.

“ ‘Oh, The Retreat’s not open. If you go for help, you’ll get sick or I’ll go report you and you’ll be deported,’ ” Ms. Davis said, giving examples of how abusers manipulate. “Any kind of leverage that can be used.”

At last week’s work session, Riverhead Councilwoman Catherine Kent said she’d read that numbers for child abuse calls had also ticked down. “I think it’s possibly because they’re not getting reported, since they’re not in school,” she said.

Ms. Davis noted that teachers are considered mandatory reporters and she fears those numbers are also growing invisibly. The Retreat has also received a higher than usual volume of phone calls related to basic services, including finding food and shelter.

Advocates there, and with other agencies across Long Island, are now preparing for what could be a flood of calls as restrictions continue to be lifted.

“As things loosen up and people have a little more freedom and privacy, we do expect a huge surge,” Ms. Davis said. “We’re going to be a part of the recovery.”

According to Chief Hegermiller’s report, virtually all other crimes are down in Riverhead. Just seven arrests were reported in April 2020, down from 91 in April 2019. The chief also suggested that there has been a slight increase in opioid overdoses, which has also been reported regionally.

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A 3-year-old child sustained minor injuries after running into the road and hitting the side of a vehicle Thursday morning, according to Southold Town police.

The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Main Road near Wickham Avenue in Mattituck.

A 51-year-old man was driving eastbound in a 2012 Chevy pickup truck when the child ran into the road. Members of the Mattituck Fire Department transported the child to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment.

No charges were filed.

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Southold police are investigating a burglary reported in Greenport Sunday.

According to police, an unknown person broke the glass of a Front Street business and stole two registers containing $500. An investigation is ongoing.

• A 43-year-old Selden man was arrested for drunken driving in Cutchogue last Wednesday.

Christopher Ciccarelli was stopped after a report that he was allegedly driving a Ford Mustang erratically on Route 25 shortly before 5 p.m.

Further investigation revealed Mr. Ciccarelli was intoxicated and he was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.

• Four dirt bikes were reported stolen from a landscaping company in Peconic Saturday around 10 a.m. Detectives are investigating the incident.

• William Chimborazo, 43, of Jackson Heights was arrested and charged with DWI after a traffic stop on Mill Lane in Southold Saturday around 12:45 a.m.

• A Southold man reportedly left the scene of an accident on Elijah’s Lane in Cutchogue last Wednesday around 5:15 p.m.

According to a report, the man was driving a pickup truck and attempting to go around a woman driving a 2008 Cadillac to get her to stop in connection with a prior domestic incident when he struck her vehicle.

Police found the man has an active stay away order of protection and the woman was attempting to get away from him at the time. It’s unclear if any charges were filed against the man. 

• At least five mailboxes on Maiden Lane in Southold were reportedly damaged after a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into them Saturday around 3:30 p.m.

The Mattituck man operating the 2020 Mitsubishi told police he fell asleep and agreed to fix the damage, reports said.

• A “highly intoxicated” 21-year-old man from New Albany, Ohio, called police Saturday looking for a ride to Stony Brook. Police responded around 10 p.m. and found the man standing on Marratooka Road in Mattituck. He then left with a friend who picked him up and agreed to look after him.

• Police were called to Cottage Place in Southold last Monday after the driver of a gray vehicle left the scene of an accident.

A man whose 2018 Hyundai was struck as he was entering a parking lot told police that as he and the other driver were talking outside, the second driver went to get a pen from his car to exchange information and fled the scene around 11:20 a.m.

Police did not include additional details about the vehicle.

• A man called police to complain about subjects doing yard work on Captain Kidd Drive in Mattituck Sunday around 8 a.m.

• Police responded to several complaints about vehicles parked without permits at Breakwater Beach, Goldsmith’s Inlet and other town parks. Several parking summonses were issued and police deployed marine units for ECL checks, reports said.

• A black bicycle with orange stripes that was not locked up was reported stolen from Goose Creek Beach Sunday around 6 p.m.

• A woman called police last Thursday evening to report that her 34-year-old son had left their house on the morning on May 29 and hadn’t been heard from since. His phone was reportedly disconnected and his vehicle is also missing, according to a report.

The woman said she’s concerned about her son’s welfare and stated that this is very unusual and completely abnormal for him. Detectives were notified about the report.

• Police responded to a report of an RV that set up to camp at Klipp Park in Greenport without a proper permit Friday around 10 a.m.

An officer spoke to a 62-year-old Oceanside man who refused to try and get a proper permit, stating that it was “unfair” and reportedly yelled “F— you” to an officer before leaving the park.

• Police responded to a report of a large party on Lake Drive in Southold last Thursday around 10 p.m.

A 21-year-old man at the residence told police he only had 10 people over, which is currently allowed under an executive order, but agreed to lower the music and shut the party down anyway, reports said.

• Two Riverhead men were rescued in Orient last Wednesday around 7:45 p.m. after the tide came in while they were fishing on a jetty.

Police used a small boat and life ring to retrieve the 24- and 25-year-olds.

• A South Harbor Road resident reported that an unknown person threw several rocks at his home and broke two front windows Saturday around 10 a.m.

• Someone called police after an intoxicated man in Greenport’s Mitchell Park yelled at people and kicked a small dog he was with numerous times Friday around 6:15 p.m. Police canvassed the area and did not locate a suspect matching a description.

• Two iPads were reportedly stolen from a building on Front Street in Greenport last Wednesday morning.

• A Greenport woman reported that someone smashed the driver’s side window of her vehicle last Wednesday around 9 a.m., but nothing 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.

The post Southold Blotter: Police investigating burglary reported on Front Street appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

A man called police around 9 p.m. Saturday to report a man “casing” his Peconic neighborhood.

Police responded and spoke to the man, who said he was looking for a place to park his vehicle since he didn’t have a town parking permit. He agreed to leave the area.

• A bicycle secured to a lamp post along Route 25 in Southold was reported stolen Saturday around 3 p.m.

• Police were called to Truman’s Beach around 7 a.m. Sunday and asked approximately 20 fishermen to leave the area.

• A 24-year-old man from Jamaica, Queens, was stopped by police around 3 a.m. Friday and questioned about recent commercial burglaries in the Greenport area.

The man told police he was just out for a walk and let them search his backpack. He was let go after nothing criminal was found, according to a police report.

Around 9 p.m. Thursday night, police conducted a welfare check of the same man, who was reportedly observed standing on the front lawn of a property in East Marion licking his hand and staring through the windows of a home on Madison Street in Greenport.

• Police responded to a dispute between neighbors on Naugles Drive in Mattituck last Monday around 8 p.m.

A 57-year-old man reported that a 29-year-old woman and her child were picking flowers near his mailbox earlier that day and he asked them to stop. Three hours later, they reportedly returned to pick flowers and a verbal dispute ensued.

The woman told police that her son likes to pick flowers and apologized. She was told to stay off his property.

• A Cutchogue man called police Friday to report that someone cut a juniper bush on his property near his driveway on Birch Lane without permission.

• Officers were called to Orient Point County Park around 5 a.m. Sunday and cleared the beach of about 40 fishermen, none of whom were county residents. An unattended bonfire was also put out, reports said.

• A woman called police to report a man yelling and screaming outside the 7-Eleven in Greenport Sunday around 6:30 p.m.

The 36-year-old Riverhead man, who appeared to be highly intoxicated, told police he was stopping cars to tell them “Black lives matter.”

Police told the man he has the right to protest, but stopping traffic is in violation of the law.

He was transported by police back to the Riverhead area, reports said.

• A 58-year-old Mattituck man was arrested on a harassment charge Sunday around 3:15 p.m. following a dispute with a roommate, who was upset about him taking food from a shared fridge.

The man allegedly threw a plastic Windex bottle at the other man, striking him on the shoulder, police said.

• A Cutchogue man was injured during a single-car crash on Eugene’s Road last Thursday.

The man was driving a 2019 Subaru east around 6:40 p.m. when he reportedly fell asleep and drove into a rock wall and hit a tree, according to a police report.

• A man called police to complain about loud construction activity on Soundview Avenue in Mattituck last Wednesday around 6 a.m.

Police spoke with a contractor, who agreed to keep noise to a minimum.

• Police responded to a home on Broadwaters Road in Cutchogue after a man called to complain about loud music Sunday around 5:30 p.m. 

A 21-year-old Brooklyn man agreed to turn the music down.

• Police were called to the corner of Westphalia Road and Route 48 in Mattituck last Thursday around 5 p.m. after a car lost control and struck a guide wire on a utility pole, causing the vehicle to flip and land on its roof.

The woman driving the 2010 Ford sustained minor injuries and refused transport to the hospital, police said.

• Police issued a warning to an 18-year-old Southold man and his friends for driving a Jeep on a Nassau Point beach in Cutchogue last Monday shortly before 7 p.m.

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.

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In response to growing tensions over crowds and litter, Southold Town will step up enforcement measures at local beaches.

A new task force of police officers, bay constables and traffic control officers has been formed to conduct extra patrols of the shoreline, including road end areas and other access points, officials announced.

The Town Board met for a special meeting with police and recreation officials Tuesday to discuss the mitigation measures.

“In the past, our enforcement has always been against parking at the beaches,” said police chief Martin Flatley. Now, he said, the department is inundated with complaints about fishermen trespassing on private beaches and in some instances, setting up campsites for the entire weekend mainly along Long Island Sound.

Recent complaints lodged with the police department have included reports of trespassing, fishing equipment and other garbage left behind, bonfires and people urinating along the beachfront.

“We’ve had complaints from Breakwater in Mattituck all the way out to the lighthouse in Orient,” the chief said.

He said enforcement has recently increased at Goldsmiths and McCabe’s beaches, where complaints have grown in recent weeks but often lead to an influx of people elsewhere.

Town officials agreed to hire at least two more traffic control officers to patrol beaches and road ends both during the day and overnight, targeting places that are experiencing the highest volume of complaints. “We’re not going to be able to cover every [road end],” the chief said, noting that there are over 50 throughout town.

“It’ll be a moving target,” said councilwoman Jill Doherty.

Additional TCOs may be hired to keep up with enforcement, officials said.

The town’s recreation department is also seeking to hire additional beach attendants to staff facilities that aren’t typically manned and increase their presence from five to seven days a week at high-traffic spots.

Beachgoers may also now be asked to produce proof of residency to enter beaches. Guests that arrive with a resident will not be required to show ID, according to Supervisor Scott Russell.

“Even pre-pandemic, it’s been a growing problem,” Mr. Russell said.

He cited an increase in people driving up to the beach to drop off passengers, then parking beyond the permit-only boundary and walking in.

He said that puts a strain on beach capacity for those who do have town permits, since the state is mandating municipalities to limit beach attendance to half capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic. Officials in Southold are still determining what those numbers would look like locally.

But Councilwoman Sarah Nappa said she’s concerned the practice could turn discriminatory. “We have to be really cautious and careful,” she said. “There are people that do live in this town but maybe don’t have a driver’s license or can’t prove that they have residency.”

Councilman Bob Ghosio said the problem isn’t about fishermen in general, but those that “set up campgrounds and use [the beach] as a toilet. I don’t care who you are … you have to have some way of being able to regulate an asset of the town,” he said.

“I want to make sure we’re not closing the door on people that do live in this town because they aren’t able to get a permit,” Ms. Nappa said.

The supervisor argued that the policy isn’t unprecedented, citing a current order in effect that limits attendance at county parks and beaches to county residents only. He said the town may expand acceptable proofs of residency to include DEC-issued fishing licenses or utility bills. Even occasional enforcement, the supervisor said, may help deter out-of-towners from using the beaches.

Ms. Nappa also suggested the town place additional signage in English and Spanish to remind people to clean up after themselves and raise awareness about these issues. 

In anticipation of the summer beach season, the board also discussed changes to how hotels and motels receive beach passes for guests. Though typically allotted one pass per guest room, the board is considering only issuing half of that number to hotels this year.

The supervisor also suggested expanding the hours the drive-thru is open at the Town Hall Annex for residents to obtain beach passes to 7 p.m.

It is currently open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Under a current order, town permits from 2019 are still acceptable for beach access through July 10. Due to a backlog in permit issuance, officials said residents who’ve purchased permits online and haven’t received them yet may place the receipt in their dashboard to avoid being ticketed.

After Tuesday’s public meeting, the board met in executive session to discuss additional staffing measures as well as guidelines for reopening playgrounds, which will require an additional facilities employee to sterilize equipment adequately, Mr. Russell said.

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Southold police responded to a report of a fight at 7-Eleven in Greenport Sunday around 9 p.m.

An officer arrived and found an 18-year-old Greenport man on the floor of the convenience store bleeding from a laceration to his head. He told police he was beaten up by a 19-year-old Greenport man and his friends. He was transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital.

It’s unclear if charges will be filed.

• A Southold woman was charged with driving while intoxicated after she reportedly collided with a tree Sunday around 6:10 p.m.

According to a police report, Cheryl Sidor was driving a 2008 Honda north on Laurel Avenue toward Route 25 when she allegedly drove into oncoming traffic and attempt to turn left, but collided with a tree.

Police charged Ms. Sidor with DWI.

• Police responded to Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport Saturday after an intoxicated person refused to leave the hospital.

The 49-year-old man was located in front of the hospital around 2:45 p.m. and told police he wanted to enter the detox program there. Police told the man he needed to be sober to enter the program and advised him to return later.

• A woman called police to report a juvenile male defecating in the woods behind CVS in Mattituck Sunday around 1 p.m.

Police spoke with the boy’s father, a Manhattan man, who told police he thought the restrooms in CVS would be closed due to COVID-19 and told his son to go in the woods.

No charges were filed, officials said.

• An East Marion man reported Sunday morning that two beach chairs were stolen from his beachfront property overnight.

• Police responded to Orient Point County Park around 2:30 a.m. Saturday and asked several fishermen to leave the beach, which is closed overnight.

• Police are investigating after a man reportedly broke into Duck Walk Vineyards in Southold and stole a cash box last Wednesday around 2 a.m. 

An investigation is continuing, officials said.

• A 34-year-old Centereach man was ticketed for driving with a suspended license on Queen Street in Greenport Saturday around 8 p.m.

• Greenport Fire Department officials responded to a report of smoke at a Fourth Avenue residence last Tuesday around 11 p.m.

Firefighters removed a chair cushion that had been smoldering, apparently from a cigarette.

• An employee at Walgreens in Mattituck called police last Monday around 4 p.m. after a 32-year-old woman who was not wearing a mask became irate that she couldn’t pick up a prescription until the following day, and intentionally coughed in the employee’s direction upon leaving.

The woman fled the area before police arrived, reports said.

• A Greenport woman called police last Tuesday morning to report packages were stolen from her porch on Carpenter Street.

• Orient firefighters responded to an Orchard Street home last Tuesday evening after a woman reported smelling smoke inside her residence.

Officials determined a burned wooden spoon found near the oven to be the cause of the odor.

• A Laurel man reported last Wednesday that an unknown person knocked his mailbox from its post on Bray Avenue last Wednesday around 11 p.m.

• Police responded to an attempted break-in on Hortons Lane in Southold last Wednesday around 8:30 p.m.

Officers located three juveniles inside an attached screened-in porch before they made entry to the living area and contacted the homeowner twice to see if she’d like to press charges, with no success, reports said.

• A Ronkonkoma man called police last Tuesday to report that his wallet was stolen from his Mr. Softee ice cream truck while he was inside Handy Pantry in Mattituck.

• Police arrested a 21-year-old Brooklyn man for DWI in Greenport last week.

Haralambos Geroulanos was stopped for a violation on Route 25 around 8 p.m. and further investigation revealed he was intoxicated.

Mr. Geroulanos was transported to police headquarters and charged with DWI, police said.

• Two injuries were reported after the driver of a 2007 Jeep rear-ended a 2010 Toyota and then struck a pole on Route 25 in Southold last Monday afternoon.

According to a report, the driver of the Jeep was westbound when the driver of the Toyota hit his brakes suddenly, causing her to swerve out of the way.

The driver of the Toyota told police he was parked on the side of the road talking on his cellphone when the Jeep struck his vehicle from behind.

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.

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In a 4-2 vote, the Southold Town Board voted Tuesday to hire an outside law firm to examine the town police department’s response to community complaints about an officer’s retirement party held in May in violation of an executive order banning mass gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorney Justin Block, who is of counsel to Sinnreich Kosakoff & Messina of Central Islip, was hired to conduct the investigation. Mr. Block is a past president of the Suffolk County Bar Association.

Town attorney Bill Duffy said Tuesday that he consulted with four law firms before recommending the board hire Sinnreich Kosakoff & Messina. “[Mr. Block] will be doing an investigation, interviewing certain employees, getting their side of the story and looking into their conduct from that night,” Mr. Duffy said.

Once complete, he’s expected to make recommendations he feels are appropriate to the town board.

Board members Jim Dinizio and Sarah Nappa both voted against the measure. Ms. Nappa cited the law firm’s prior dealings with Southold Town as her reasoning.

According to Mr. Duffy, the firm was retained two to three years ago to represent the town on an Article 78 proceeding that had to do with the town’s short-term rental law.

“We litigated that and they represented us on the Article 78 and we won,” Mr. Duffy explained.

Ms. Nappa voiced her concerns over a possible conflict of interest ahead of the vote and again in a statement after Tuesday’s meeting.

“If there are allegations against the board or any of the town’s employees, even an ‘appearance of conflict,’ could cause alarm under the New York State Lawyer Ethical Rules as the town can’t be investigated by its own law firm,” she said. “Therefore, best practice would be to hire a firm with no ties to the board or any employee.”

Mr. Dinizio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon. 

The board directed Mr. Duffy to retain an outside firm to investigate after members were unsatisfied with a preliminary report prepared by police Chief Martin Flatley.

“The Town Board wants the residents of Southold to know that we are taking the allegations very seriously and are determined to get to the bottom of what happened,” Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said in a statement earlier this month. “These allegations are very troubling. The public wants answers — and they deserve answers.”

The May 29 retirement party was for Sgt. Steven Zuhoski, who worked his final shift that evening after nearly 24 years with the department. Photos of the event, most of which were removed from social media the following day, showed dozens of partygoers present at Sgt. Zuhoski’s Cutchogue tree farm despite the governor’s orders limiting gatherings to just 10 individuals.

Four town residents later told The Suffolk Times that they contacted police about the party, calls that were verified through cell phone call histories, though no report was generated by the police department. Witnesses interviewed by a reporter estimated that upwards of 150 people attended the event, which included bagpipers and a fireworks show. One photo viewed by The Suffolk Times showed a patrol car at the party.

Reports of the event and the department’s apparent lack of response generated complaints to town officials.

Chief Flatley had submitted a report to the town attorney’s office detailing the results of his inquiry into the event, which town residents said led to more than half a dozen complaints that the chief said were not recorded in the police blotter. At the Town Board’s request last week, the chief said he would review recordings from the department call system to see if residents did notify police and how those calls were handled.

That initial report will not be made public, officials said.

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Town officials in Southold are taking steps to form a task force that will address inequities in policing and the justice system.

Members of the North Fork Unity Action Committee and Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force appealed to the Town Board at a virtual work session meeting Tuesday asking the town to partner with them on the initiative.

“There’s lots of actions and movements across the country — actually across the world — that are calling attention to a lack of equity in our society in particular relation to the justice system,” said Carolyn Peabody of Orient, a co-chair of the North Fork Unity Action Committee. “We felt as a committee that it was absolutely timely and important to raise the issue.”

Earlier this month, Ms. Peabody and Sister Margaret Smyth of the North Fork Spanish Apostolate co-authored a letter asking the town to establish an independent assessment of the town’s justice system and more civilian oversight.

Over 90 residents signed the letter, which was sent to the Town Board as Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring municipalities to take similar action.

In the wake of widespread civil unrest, the executive order directs all local government entities that have police agencies to conduct comprehensive reviews of current police policies and procedures and develop an action plan.

Police departments and municipalities must consult stakeholders, including community members, district attorneys and other officials to create and implement a plan by April 1, 2021. The plans must address use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, bias awareness training, de-escalation practices, restorative justice practices and community-based outreach, and must include a transparent citizen complaint procedure to handle issues raised by the community.

The order also authorizes the state budget to withhold state funding from agencies that do not comply.

Sister Margaret said the council is seeking to collaborate with the town on the initiative. “We come as people looking to be partners with you in order to be able to make Southold be a shining example of a town that’s willing to take a look at itself” in order to grow and be better, she said.

The task force would unite community members and local activists with elected officials and members of law enforcement to review each component of the town’s justice system from policing to court proceedings.

According to a proposal written by the North Fork Unity Action Committee, the task force would include six community members representing marginalized populations, six community leaders and two Town Board members.

From there, Ms. Peabody suggested the members could split into focus groups to discuss policing, jailing, the justice court and communication with the district attorney’s office. They would be tasked with research, gathering public input and experiences and providing feedback. 

Valerie Shelby, who co-chairs the town’s Anti-Bias Task Force, said urgent action is needed. 

“We live in two different communities,” Ms. Shelby said, adding that she fears for her adult sons because of how they may be perceived by police. “They’re grown men, but I worry about them like they’re 5 or 6 years old. Yes, we need the police but we have to improve how they treat people of color and African Americans. They need more training so there can be public trust and safety for everybody, not just a select few.”

Supervisor Scott Russell said that despite efforts made by the town to provide cultural literacy training and “synergy” events to bring police together with the community, more can be done.

“The issue first and foremost is the idea of gaining community confidence, particularly among people of color. We need to start developing some community relationships,” he said, adding that the town must also consider input from law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to address systemic inequities.

Councilman Jim Dinizio cited these issues as a reason he’s been pushing for police department accreditation for several years. “If you look at your rules and procedures on a regular basis, you become a better department,” he said, adding that it’s time for town officials to “step up to the plate” and provide more regular review.

At the supervisor’s suggestion, the task force may include Spanish-speaking community members. Board member Louisa Evans also urged the group to engage young people in the process. “They’re really our hope,” she said.

The board plans to adopt a formal resolution establishing the task force in the coming weeks.

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Southold Town police are “actively investigating a series of car break-ins” mostly in Cutchogue over the past four to five days, Chief Martin Flatley said Thursday evening.

“I believe all told we had around 15-20, all unlocked vehicles, mostly change, cash, anything left out,” the chief said. “A lot of them in the Pequash/Stillwater (avenues) area… Obviously we urge everyone to lock their vehicles when unattended, especially overnight, and not to leave valuables inside.”

The police blotter published in Thursday’s The Suffolk Times said police were looking at a string of car break-ins in Cutchogue and New Suffolk, with valuables such as cash and change taken from unlocked cars.

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