Nassau police’s Steven Skrynecki eyes Southampton job: Sources

The Nassau County Police Department’s second-in-command has told top county officials that he has been offered the top cop job in Southampton Town, according to sources.

Steven Skrynecki, the chief of department in Nassau, has told County Executive Edward Mangano he was offered the post but still is negotiating details such as his salary and start-date, the sources said.

“He said he anticipates leaving,” one source said.

Skrynecki, a 42-year veteran of the Nassau police force, declined to comment.

Southampton Town Deputy Supervisor Frank Zappone, who is heading the search committee for a new police chief, on Friday declined to confirm Skrynecki was offered the job or is even a contender.

Zappone said the Southampton Town Board is expected to make its choice for who will succeed retiring Police Chief Robert Pearce by the end of September.

Nassau Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter called talk of Skrynecki’s possible departure “pure speculation.”

“I love working with Steven Skrynecki and that’s all I can say at this point,” Krumpter said. “He has not told me he’s leaving.”

Skrynecki, who was paid $237,636 last year as a leader of Nassau’s approximately 2,400-sworn-member department, began his career in Nassau on July 12, 1974, as an officer in the Second Precinct.

By comparison, the Southampton Town department has just 100 sworn officers.

Skrynecki rose through the ranks, with stints as the commanding officer of the Second Precinct, Vehicle Theft Squad, Robbery Squad, Narcotics/Vice Squad, Second Precinct Detective Squad and Internal Affairs.

He was named chief of detectives in 2009 and in 2011 was appointed chief of department, the highest-ranking uniformed officer.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.