Huntington Bay police closer to certification

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

Huntington Bay Police are moving a step closer to state certification this month, as they wrap up installation of a new evidence locker at their Vineyard Road headquarters.

The high security closet, which will safeguard items like found property and confiscated guns, is just one of 130 requirements the village cops must meet under New York State law.

According to Chief Raymond Hubbs, accreditation is a voluntary, no-cost process that looks at an agency’s fiscal management, record keeping and personnel practices.

“It enables us to say that we’re complying with current state standards and rules, while also forcing us to take a thorough look at our objectives and operation,” said Hubbs, noting that the department was already meeting approximately 90% of state standards. “It’s mostly procedural. It’s a matter of reviewing, updating and documenting policies.”

As of June, just four Long Island town and village departments were accredited—Suffolk, Southampton Town, Southampton Village and East Hampton Town—while only 306 of 552 eligible police agencies in all of New York were accredited as of December, according to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. This is because police standards are less stringent at the town and village levels than at the county level.

Huntington Bay expects to boost those paltry numbers by one sometime this fall. Currently, the village police have finished about two-thirds of their yearlong process, but new policies—such as the evidence locker—must be fully implemented for at least three months before accreditation is approved, according to state officials.

“We’re really looking forward to making the announcement soon,” said Hubbs, who added that the new evidence locker has been the department’s most tangible project. “We’ve been using file cabinets, which are secure, but the new setup will be more professional.”

Once Huntington Bay believes it’s successfully met all accreditation requirements, a team of three experienced law enforcement practitioners—none of whom live or work in the Huntington area—will conduct a three-day, on-site assessment. After five years, another review will be conducted to ensure Huntington Bay is in ongoing compliance.