Errol Toulon Leading Suffolk County Sheriff's Race

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — The voters have spoken and so far, incumbent Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon was ahead in the race against challenger William Amato.

Incumbent Toulon, 59, of Lake Grove was running on the Democratic and Conservative lines against challenger and Republican Amato for the Suffolk County Sheriff's seat.

With 129 of 1052 districts still to be counted, Toulon garnered 128,614, or 54.40 percent, of the vote, compared to Amato's 107,739 votes, or 45.57 percent.

Speaking with Patch before the election, Toulon said: "As your sheriff, I have, and will continue to, crack down on violent gangs, like MS-13, to keep gang members behind bars and off our streets. But we can't stop there. To make Suffolk safer, I've pushed to invest in new ways to prevent young people from joining gangs in the first place. We implemented more mentoring and educational programs in Suffolk's jails, and pushed for more tutoring and after-school programs for at-risk youth.

"At the same time, my office has invested more in community-based, anti-crime programs, and better officer training on how to de-escalate situations before they become violent. Safety and reform must go hand-in-hand because reckless reform makes us more vulnerable. I strongly oppose defunding the police, and I oppose the Albany bail legislation that releases potential criminals back onto our streets. Suffolk is safer when our officers have the backing and the resources they need to do their jobs. As a lifelong law enforcement professional, I'm proud to be endorsed by every law enforcement organization in Suffolk County. But I'm even prouder of the trust that Suffolk residents place in me each day to keep them safe."