Letter: Nassau police will survive gear delay
Nassau County's newest police recruits hit the streets last week for the first time without some required equipment like raincoats and traffic vests, which union officials said could potentially put the rookie officers in danger and hurt morale. This cop car is pictured on Aug. 14, 2013. Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara
As I was riding the Long Island Rail Road out of Wantagh, I couldn't help but laugh out loud after reading "Police lack gear" [News, Sept. 30].
Nassau Police Benevolent Association president James Carver is irate that new recruits are not being supplied, on Day One, with the required raincoats, turtleneck shirts and duty jackets -- they are on order. Carver said this will be detrimental to the morale of his police officers.
Is he living on this planet? How bad can it be for morale if these articles are a few weeks late? These recruits just hit the job lottery, with health benefits and six-figure pensions for life after a mere 20 years of service.
I'm a 33-year veteran of the private sector with a respectable career, but I don't have half of what my retired Nassau County cop friends have retired with. These young recruits will get over the delayed gear. Those of us in the private sector buy our own clothes.
Ed Lynn, Babylon
