Suffolk County Police Academy recruits join the ranks

When new Suffolk County Police Officer Rebecca Bilello’s name was called at Friday’s graduation ceremony, she saw a familiar sight onstage to greet her among law enforcement and officials: her father, a Nassau County police officer.

Bilello, 23, of Port Jefferson Station, is now a third-generation law enforcement member, following her father, John, and grandfather. She also has a number of other relatives who have careers in the field.

“I’m so happy to be here,” she said afterward at the Suffolk County Police Academy ceremony. “I think my parents are very proud of me and [I'm] happy to make my grandfather proud as well.”

The familial bonds were on full display at the Suffolk County Community College Grant Campus in Brentwood as more than 100 graduates from the 187th recruit class joined either the Suffolk County police, sheriff’s office or the Stony Brook University Police Department.

Parents who had a career in law enforcement hugged their children onstage after the recruits finished 31 weeks of training, including emergency medical and legal preparation.

They undertook more than 1,000 hours of instruction, according to the Suffolk County executive's office.

All in all, more than 10 recruits were second-generation law enforcement. At least three were third-generation.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone acknowledged the bond in his speech at the ceremony, adding, “being in a law enforcement family is very much a family affair.”

Of the Suffolk police department's 68 recruits in Friday's class, 52, or 76.5%, are white; eight, or 11.8%, are Hispanic; six, or 8.8%, are Black; and two are of Asian descent.

Of the department's 2,561 sworn personnel, 83.3% are white, 11.4% are Hispanic, and 2.7% are Black, according to the department's figures as of June 30.

A Newsday investigation in 2021 showed that hiring practices in Nassau and Suffolk police departments had led to higher denial rates of Black and Hispanic candidates to the academy compared to their white counterparts.

Newsday reported last summer that Suffolk County had rolled out procedures to try to get more people of color into the department.

Census figures show roughly 65% of Suffolk's population is white, not including Latino or Hispanic. Around 20% of the county is Latino or Hispanic. Black people make up around 10%, while nearly 5% are of Asian descent.

Deputy Sheriff William Hughes said he was proud to pursue a career in law enforcement. His father was a lieutenant in the Southampton Town Police Department and his grandfather was part of the NYPD in Brooklyn before he became a firefighter.

Since his childhood, Hughes, 35, of Hampton Bays, knew he wanted to be in law enforcement, he said. “I’ve always felt a connection in serving the community and helping others, so that’s why I chose this profession,” said Hughes, who also served in the military.

Asked how he would feel should his daughter, 2, or son, 5, were to join the ranks, he said, “I’d love it.”

“They’re going to do, at the end of the day, what they want to do, but there’s nothing more admirable than … going out to help people in your community and protect people,” he said.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.