Dormer survives legislators' attempts to remove him

Suffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer survived two votes aimed at removing him Tuesday as legislators rejected one bill to create fixed terms for public safety commissioners and tabled another to fire Dormer.

Lawmakers did approve legislation forbidding the police department from eliminating entire command units - like it did with the Highway Patrol unit in 2008 - without prior approval from legislators. County Executive Steve Levy, officials said, is expected to veto the measure.

The moves continue months of legislative saber-rattling over Dormer's fate. Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), who sponsored both measures, failed to muster support for either even as his colleagues voiced their displeasure over the police department.

Only five legislators - no Republicans among them - voted for Cooper's fixed-term bill, which would have created irrevocable five-year terms for the police, probation, fire and rescue and emergency services commissioners.

The measure would have required Levy to reappoint each commissioner, with their installation dependent on confirmation from legislators.

Legis. Tom Barraga (R-West Islip) said no county executive would want to be forced to work with commissioners inherited from his or her predecessor. He said he would not support the bill because it would tie the hands of Levy and future county executives.

"Any Suffolk County executive, when they're first elected, they want to put their team together," Barraga said.

Legislators are scheduled for another vote on Cooper's fire-Dormer bill on June 22. Cooper said he would seek to garner support to remove the commissioner by then. Cooper said he is frustrated with Dormer's refuseal to advocate for more police officers.

"Three of my constituents got stabbed this morning," he said. "We'll see what happens between now and two weeks from now."

But Levy defended Dormer's record.

"Since Commissioner Dormer came on board, overall crime in the county is down 17.5 percent and I have submitted two consecutive budgets with no Police Tax increase, and that's good enough for me," Levy said in a prepared statement.