Christopher Ortiz, new Glen Cove police chief, looks to expand force

Christopher Ortiz, the new chief of the Glen Cove Police Department, is a lifelong resident.

Over decades, he has witnessed the city's ongoing transformation: A push for development has occurred alongside a shift in the community's population and demographics, he said.

The city's overall population in 2020 was 28,365, a 5% increase from a decade earlier, according to U.S. Census data. 

More than a third of Glen Cove’s population is Hispanic or Latino, and its minority population has grown, rising from 41% in 2010 to 48% in 2020. The percentage of city residents who were born in another country was 31.2% in 2021, up from 26.9% in 2010, according to a city planning document. 

The department is wrangling with several persistent issues: A proliferation of illegal electric-powered vehicles is on the department's radar, Newsday has reported. The city also has become a focal point of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, which has drawn local pushback but support from Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck.  

The new chief said he expects to be part of an evolution of the city's police department — including a potential expansion of its ranks. The department has 57 uniformed members.

Ortiz, the son of a Peruvian immigrant and the city's first-ever Hispanic chief of police, said it's his mission to connect with new residents. "So, that becomes a priority of mine — to reach out to these people and get them into the fold ..." he said.

The department is trending younger, he said, adding that recruitment and a possible expansion are key priorities. 

“As the city continues to grow, we’re looking to grow, as well,” said Ortiz. "This was, for many years, kind of like an insulated community where everybody knew one another and the last names were generational," Ortiz said. "But now we see a lot of people coming in from different areas, whether it be New York City or other parts of Long Island."

Major crime down

Major crime in Glen Cove has dropped in recent years. The Glen Cove Police Department reported 161 index crimes — a total of violent and property crimes — in 2024, down from 170 incidents in 2023 and 200 incidents in 2022. Larcenies, which account for the greatest number of property-theft crimes, fell from 164 in 2022 to 113 in 2024, according to data from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

A national crackdown on illegal immigration has been felt in Glen Cove, where federal officers have conducted multiple operations in the city. In June, ICE placed multiple people in custody near a train station parking lot. In November, a protest in Glen Cove over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement drew more than 200 people.

Ortiz said the city doesn't play an active role in enforcing federal immigration laws.

"That's been our stance historically, and it'll continue to be our stance going forward," Ortiz said. "With that being said, I will never refuse to help someone in distress, especially a fellow law enforcement agency."

Ortiz began his law enforcement career with the New York City Police Department before joining Glen Cove's in 1997. During his tenure, he served as an officer, sergeant, lieutenant and deputy chief, according to the city. 

Changing of the guard

Ortiz became the 10th police chief in Glen Cove's history during a swearing-in ceremony in November.

Ortiz succeeds William Whitton, who served in law enforcement for 41 years — the last 18 as chief. In his decades of service, he rose through every rank of the city's police department. The experience, he said, was “a huge education in the human condition.”

Whitton said he often met people at the "height of anxiety and at the height of other tragedies in their lives." He said he felt he was afforded a unique opportunity "to step into those situations and do your best to help them through some really tough times."

During his tenure, the city has expanded its use of license plate readers — part of a wide-spanning trend that has been praised by law enforcement but signaled as a point of concern for privacy experts, Newsday has reported. More than a decade ago, Whitton established a policy to limit the scope of the information gathered by the camera systems.

Whitton is officially retired but said he plans to serve as an open ear for Ortiz in a role that comes with added pressure.

“I told Chris that when he puts that chief of police badge on, it’s going to feel heavier than any other badge he’s ever worn because it comes with so much responsibility.”

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ