Former NYPD official Kevin Catalina sworn in as new Suffolk County police commissioner

Kevin Catalina is sworn in Tuesday as Suffolk County police commissioner during a Suffolk legislative session and ceremony at the Evans K. Griffing Building in Riverhead. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Former NYPD official Kevin Catalina was sworn in as Suffolk’s new police commissioner on Tuesday, shortly after the county legislature overwhelmingly approved his confirmation in Riverhead.
Scores of law enforcement officials, family members and other supporters who crammed into the Maxine S. Postal Auditorium gave Catalina a standing ovation after lawmakers voted 17-0 to confirm him as the 16th commissioner in the department’s 65-year history.
Catalina, 57, was sworn in by Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine and County Clerk Vincent Puleo immediately after the vote. The legislature’s Public Service Committee had unanimously approved Catalina’s nomination on Thursday. Legis. Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) abstained from Tuesday’s vote.
Catalina, a 27-year NYPD veteran, worked for five years as an undersheriff under Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. before joining the Suffolk County Police Department as a deputy commissioner under acting Commissioner Robert Waring in January 2024.
"It was always a lifelong dream of mine to become a Suffolk County police officer," Catalina told lawmakers of his decision to join the department, "so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity."
Catalina has praised Suffolk police for reducing violent crime in recent years, providing officials an opportunity to combat other problems facing the county, including drug overdoses and traffic fatalities.
"I think the future is very bright," Catalina said. "We are at historic lows in crime, and we plan on lowering them. We are in a position now where I think we can reallocate resources, based on the success we’ve had in the past year, and I’m looking forward to it. We want to work on really making our roadways safer."
Before the legislature’s vote, Democrats and Republicans praised Catalina’s resume, saying that it had prepared him well to lead the 2,400-officer agency, one of the nation’s largest law enforcement agencies.
Catalina’s only flaw, according to Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) and a few other lawmakers who are apparently Mets fans, is his lifelong devotion to the Yankees.
"He always sort of stood out," Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said of his dealings with Catalina when the new commissioner worked in the sheriff’s office. "Quiet, strength and intelligence. I think we are very fortunate to have you in this county."
Legis. Chad Lennon (R-Rocky Point) fired back: "Let’s go Mets."
Catalina said his years with the NYPD prepared him well to lead a top agency.
"I’ve done a lot in New York City, I’ve done a lot of gang enforcement, a lot in the intelligence world, a lot in the counterterrorism world, but most importantly, I spent seven years as a precinct commander, which I think is probably the most important job in policing," Catalina said. "It taught me the value of community relations and how important that was to policing."
Catalina succeeds another longtime NYPD official, Rodney K. Harrison, as Suffolk police commissioner. Harrison, the county's first Black police commissioner, resigned from the post in December 2023, shortly after Romaine was elected county commissioner.
Harrison earned $220,000 a year as commissioner. A spokesman for Romaine said information about Catalina’s annual salary as commissioner was not immediately available. Catalina’s NYPD pension pays him $141,852 a year, according to the department’s pension fund.
When he announced Catalina’s nomination as commissioner last week, Romaine said Waring told him recently that he wanted to return to his old position as chief of department.
During his 27 years with the NYPD, Catalina rose to the rank of deputy chief and commanded units tasked with analyzing intelligence and preventing gang-related crimes. He also played leadership roles in some of the city’s most high-profile events, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the New York City Marathon.
Catalina said he has developed relationships with a variety of community groups during his tenure with the sheriff’s office and as deputy commissioner.
"I have relationships established already, and that is so, so important in law enforcement," Catalina said. "It is super important to have those relationships so we can have honest conversations about what might have occurred and how to fix it moving forward."
Former NYPD official Kevin Catalina was sworn in as Suffolk’s new police commissioner on Tuesday, shortly after the county legislature overwhelmingly approved his confirmation in Riverhead.
Scores of law enforcement officials, family members and other supporters who crammed into the Maxine S. Postal Auditorium gave Catalina a standing ovation after lawmakers voted 17-0 to confirm him as the 16th commissioner in the department’s 65-year history.
Catalina, 57, was sworn in by Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine and County Clerk Vincent Puleo immediately after the vote. The legislature’s Public Service Committee had unanimously approved Catalina’s nomination on Thursday. Legis. Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) abstained from Tuesday’s vote.
Catalina, a 27-year NYPD veteran, worked for five years as an undersheriff under Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. before joining the Suffolk County Police Department as a deputy commissioner under acting Commissioner Robert Waring in January 2024.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- Veteran NYPD official Kevin Catalina was sworn in as Suffolk’s new police commissioner Tuesday, shortly after the county legislature overwhelmingly approved his confirmation in Riverhead.
- Suffolk lawmakers voted 17-0 to confirm him as the 16th commissioner in the department’s 65-year history.
- As police commissioner, Catalina will lead the 2,400-officer force, one of the nation’s largest law enforcement agencies.
"It was always a lifelong dream of mine to become a Suffolk County police officer," Catalina told lawmakers of his decision to join the department, "so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity."
Catalina has praised Suffolk police for reducing violent crime in recent years, providing officials an opportunity to combat other problems facing the county, including drug overdoses and traffic fatalities.
"I think the future is very bright," Catalina said. "We are at historic lows in crime, and we plan on lowering them. We are in a position now where I think we can reallocate resources, based on the success we’ve had in the past year, and I’m looking forward to it. We want to work on really making our roadways safer."
Before the legislature’s vote, Democrats and Republicans praised Catalina’s resume, saying that it had prepared him well to lead the 2,400-officer agency, one of the nation’s largest law enforcement agencies.
Catalina’s only flaw, according to Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) and a few other lawmakers who are apparently Mets fans, is his lifelong devotion to the Yankees.
"He always sort of stood out," Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said of his dealings with Catalina when the new commissioner worked in the sheriff’s office. "Quiet, strength and intelligence. I think we are very fortunate to have you in this county."
Legis. Chad Lennon (R-Rocky Point) fired back: "Let’s go Mets."
Catalina said his years with the NYPD prepared him well to lead a top agency.
"I’ve done a lot in New York City, I’ve done a lot of gang enforcement, a lot in the intelligence world, a lot in the counterterrorism world, but most importantly, I spent seven years as a precinct commander, which I think is probably the most important job in policing," Catalina said. "It taught me the value of community relations and how important that was to policing."
Catalina succeeds another longtime NYPD official, Rodney K. Harrison, as Suffolk police commissioner. Harrison, the county's first Black police commissioner, resigned from the post in December 2023, shortly after Romaine was elected county commissioner.
Harrison earned $220,000 a year as commissioner. A spokesman for Romaine said information about Catalina’s annual salary as commissioner was not immediately available. Catalina’s NYPD pension pays him $141,852 a year, according to the department’s pension fund.
When he announced Catalina’s nomination as commissioner last week, Romaine said Waring told him recently that he wanted to return to his old position as chief of department.
During his 27 years with the NYPD, Catalina rose to the rank of deputy chief and commanded units tasked with analyzing intelligence and preventing gang-related crimes. He also played leadership roles in some of the city’s most high-profile events, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the New York City Marathon.
Catalina said he has developed relationships with a variety of community groups during his tenure with the sheriff’s office and as deputy commissioner.
"I have relationships established already, and that is so, so important in law enforcement," Catalina said. "It is super important to have those relationships so we can have honest conversations about what might have occurred and how to fix it moving forward."

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Put a little love in your heart with the NewsdayTV Valentine's Day Special! From Love Lane in Mattituck, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to celebrate Valentine's Day this year.