The Point: For Suffolk's Toulon, the lure of the top job
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon. Credit: James Carbone
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. just won reelection to his post in November, but he is already looking at a bid for county executive, three Long Island Democratic sources tell The Point.
With current County Executive Steve Bellone term-limited, 2023 presents an open field for contenders. Toulon, first elected in 2017 and Suffolk’s first Black sheriff, has a countywide platform and defeated GOP opponent William Amato by just over 10 percentage points last year. As in his first run, he had both the Democratic and Conservative lines, and he has been the unusual law enforcement professional who earns praise from some criminal justice reform activists.
Toulon is no stranger to the county executive’s office. The longtime corrections veteran did a stint as assistant deputy county executive for public safety earlier in Bellone’s tenure.
A request for comment sent through Toulon’s previous campaign website was not returned, and Sgt. Paul Spinella, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said that the sheriff was unavailable for comment.
But multiple political insiders report his interest in the gig.
"Others have spoken to me about wanting to support him," county Democratic chairman Rich Schaffer told The Point in an email Tuesday. "He has said he would consider it but we have not had any concrete discussions nor did I feel he has made any decision."
But if Toulon took the leap? "I would support him if he ran," Schaffer wrote.
Mark Chiusano is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
