Deporting migrant gangs helps.

0:00 Speaker 1 Sunday Morning with us today is Sheriff Eric Eron Toulon Junior, and he is the highest ranking law enforcement official in Suffolk County in New York. Sheriff Toulon tell us our progresses we’re making. You know, I live in Suffolk County on weekends in the summertime. Are we keeping Suffolk County safe?

0:26 Speaker 2 Hi, good morning, and thank you for having me on. You know, we are doing a really good job in not only keeping Suffolk County safe, but working as a collaborative effort with the various law enforcement agencies. District Attorney, Tierney, Police Commission at Catalina, all three of our agencies are on the same page to really work hard to make

0:47 sure that our streets are safe. You know, we want to make sure that residents are feel comfortable doing their day to day chores and anyone that’s visiting our county feels safe, whether it’s the county eaches are heading out east to enjoy their time.

1:05 Speaker 1 Now, many years ago, Suffolk County was I guess prisoners of some many gangs going around, and I think we got rid of them. Are we safe in Suffolk County now? Are any of them coming back?

1:24 Speaker 2 You know myself and current Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina had visited El Salvador in twenty twenty three when he worked for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s office, and we were able to see a huge transformation in what President Bukihley had did.

1:39 I actually was there in twenty eighteen, and the difference in twenty twenty three was remarkable. Tourism was up, the economy was up. They built the jail specifically for MS thirteen and their rival gang in Eighteenth Street, which is a maximum security prison, and I really believe that that has been a contributing factor to our success here in

2:03 the United States regarding MS thirteen and those trying to cross the border. But we are very, very concerned about a Venezuelan gang called TDA Trende or Agua that has really infiltrated our country from the western part of the United States, working their way all the way east into New York City.

2:24 Speaker 1 Now there’s controversy going on with some of the city and state politicians and President Trump trying to come in and try to help in New York. I mean, what do you think is going to happen for all back?

2:41 Speaker 2 You know, what has worked in the past, Well, what has been done in the past really did not work, and so you really do need a change, as they did in Olsavador, and a dramatic change in order to bring some law and order and public safety back. And I think the collaboration of the various federal, state, and

3:00 local law enforcement agencies, you know, working together together to come back crime is really a prime indicator of the success that we’re having.

3:10 Speaker 1 Now. You have a long history and law enforcement. You were the first African American sheriff, the first African American elected official to hold a non judicial countrywide office in Suffolk County. I mean your success. You feel good that things are going in the right direction.

3:32 Speaker 2 Yes, you know everything that I believed in. And you know, as I’ve spoken to you in the past, my father’s award and on Rekas Island for thirty six years, So I come from a long history of law enforcement. But more importantly, we have some really great partners up and down from the federal level all the way down to

3:49 our local level that are just working collaboratively. No one wants the accolades. Someone does have to get them, but no one is looking to get to the front to say we did this. As long as the job is done and our communities are safe is my primary goal with anything that’s occurring here in Suffolk County and the

4:07 Suffer County Shriff’s Office will work with anyone to make sure that our communities are safe.

4:14 Speaker 1 That is wonderful. Like I said, I live here on weekends, I live here in summer, and I feel a lot safer sometimes in Suffer County. Anything else you want to tell all Rhode Island people, in all New Yorkers, all Americans, Yes, you know.

4:33 Speaker 2 Our Shriff’s Office is working very collaboratively with our community and we want to engage with the community so there’s less of a fear because sometimes you see very short clips on a TikTok or Instagram that depicts police in a negative light. And so our community relations and my staff are constantly in senior centers, firehouses, schools. I’m in

4:56 one to two schools per week talking to students about various and we want to make sure that everybody knows we’re there for them, We’re working. Even though we may not agree on certain things, the one thing we all do need to agree on is public safety and keeping people.

5:11 Speaker 1 Safe well Sheriff Toulon, thank you for everything you do and thank you for keeping Suffoccounting safe. God bless you, God bless uh self accounting, God bless America. Thank you so much, God

5:26 Speaker 2 Bless you, sir, and thank you for having me on this morning,