Milagros Soto promoted to Suffolk police chief of operations

The former commanding officer of the Internal Affairs Bureau for Suffolk County police has been promoted to the position of chief of operations, becoming the highest-ranking female in the department's 65-year history.

Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina and Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine announced the promotion of Milagros Soto on Thursday to that position along with more than a dozen other promotions, including Deputy Chief of Patrol William Doherty moving up to be Chief of Detectives. 

Soto becomes the first woman to hold the position of a three-star chief for Suffolk police. She said her new title was humbling and she wanted to serve as a role model for future officers.

"I've always heard this saying, 'You can't be it, if you can't see it,' and so I want young women to see me and say, 'Yes, it is possible' and hopefully consider a career in law enforcement," Soto said in an interview.

"You have the opportunity to have such a positive impact in people's lives, improve communities, and move this department forward and the profession as a whole," Soto said of her police career.

She was promoted in 2021 to the position of one-star deputy chief and commanding officer of the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Two years later, she was promoted to assistant chief of the bureau. Soto served as former commissioner Geraldine Hart’s liaison with the task force that developed the police reform plan ordered by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo after George Floyd was killed while in custody of police in Minnesota.

Soto was named assistant chief of operations last year. She has served as the acting chief of operations since January and oversees six bureaus, including the police academy, communications, internal affairs and police technology. As chief of operations, she heads one of three major divisions that report to Chief of Department Rob Waring and the police commissioner.

A native of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Soto entered the Suffolk Police Academy in 1988. She worked on patrol in Smithtown and Commack, then as a supervisor in the Sixth Precinct in Coram. She was promoted to internal affairs investigator, lieutenant and captain during her tenure.

Catalina said during a news conference at police headquarters in Yaphank that it was important to maintain diversity among the ranks but added that it did not play a factor in making promotions. 

"They are the best people for the job. I'm happy that we're able to have a diverse group up here today," he said. 

Other promotions announced Thursday include Det. Sgt. Apryl Hargrove, who will be the commanding officer of the Hate Crimes Unit. Hargrove became the department's first Black sergeant in 2021, serving in internal affairs. 

"I know hate crimes, especially recently, is a great concern for many people, so I just want to make sure people's voices are heard and hate crimes and all crimes are thoroughly investigated. I'll be at the helm to make sure that happens," Hargrove said.

The department is also promoting William Scrima to be assistant chief of patrol, Matt McCormick to be deputy chief of patrol and Vincent Maronsky to be deputy chief of operations. 

With Nicole Fuller 

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.