Hempstead Village board OKs police chief, assistant

The Hempstead Village board of trustees this week appointed a permanent village police chief and assistant chief.

The board unanimously approved at a Tuesday night meeting the selection of Michael McGowan as police chief and Joseph Sortino as assistant police chief of the Hempstead Village Police Department.

McGowan and Sortino ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the civil service exam, Hempstead Village Mayor Wayne J. Hall Sr. said.

When former police chief Joseph Wing retired in January, then-assistant chief McGowan took the top spot on an interim basis while the village sought a permanent replacement.
McGowan, who will make $193,173 a year, has been on the force since 1978. Sortino will make $172,840 a year.

The board also authorized the appointments to detective of Anthony Almanzar and John Murphy.

Almanazar will earn $116,372 a year and Murphy $117,647 a year.

Above: Downtown Hempstead Village