An Interview with Joseph E.Townsend Jr.

In the United States, full time law enforcement did not begin until the mid-1800s. The first police forces were started in New York and in Boston. New York’s first police force was created in 1845. There has been as police presence in Center Moriches since at least the 1940s when Brookhaven Town had its own police force. The local substation still covers the same amount of territory, however, the number of residents has increased. The population growth has brought about an increase in crime, and more incidents are reported. Currently, the Suffolk County Police District covers the five western towns of Suffolk County (Center Moriches is included in this coverage) while the Suffolk County Sheriff covers the entire county.

Joseph E Townsend Jr., a security guard at Center Moriches High School, is a retired police officer. He notes that there have not been many changes in law enforcement since he began his career as a Deputy Sheriff Investigator. Mr. Townsend grew up in Center Moriches and was in the United States Army. He became a police officer in the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department on January 30, 1967, and held that position for over 29 years.

The Suffolk County Police Department responds to numerous incidents: car accidents, domestic violence calls or anything that would need a police officer. Mr. Townsend explains that people call 911, and a police officer answers that call, and depending on the situation, either firefighters or emergency workers will be called, but police will almost always go arrive first, as they are in the area.

Mr. Townsend says that drug laws have changed the most, becoming much stricter. Most other laws remain the same as they were when he was a police officer.

Drugs have always been a major issue for law enforcement, however drug related crime has increased in recent years. Domestic violence is another crime that has always been a big problem, but more incidents are being reported now than in the past, according to Mr. Townsend.

The introduction of the Miranda Laws is another change in law enforcement. Police officers have to read a person their rights and if the person requests a lawyer, they cannot be further questioned.

The starting salary for a Suffolk County Police Officer is $57,811. Mr. Townsend estimates that the salary for an experienced officer is probably about $90,000. The salary for police officers has increased over the years and Mr. Townsend predicts that this trend will continue in the future.

In order to become a police officer, there is a written test, a physical test, and a certain health requirement. Mr. Townsend says that this is the case on all of Long Island, but may not have always been. The age requirement has not changed. According to Mr. Townsend, it has always been 21.

The purpose of law enforcement has not changed and the police still answer many types of calls. Mr. Townsend believes that all laws are to be taken seriously, as they always have been. Law enforcement continues to serve the people and this is what Mr. Townsend does everyday for the Center Moriches School District.

~Written by Charlotte A.

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