Meet The Candidate: Tim Sini For Suffolk County District Attorney

SUFFOLK COUNTY— Suffolk County residents will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, November 2, to elect local representatives and make their voices heard.

In addition to local races, residents will weigh in on the race for the Suffolk County District Attorney seat.

In advance of the election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaign — and the results will be published as candidate profiles in the days leading up to the vote.

Incumbent Suffolk County DA Tim Sini, 41, of Babylon Village is running on the Democratic and Keep Crime Low lines against challenger Raymond Tierney, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Following is Patch's full Q&A with Tim Sini:

<b> Name <b>

Tim Sini

<b>Age (as of Election Day)</b>

41

<b>Position Sought</b>

Suffolk County District Attorney

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Keep Crime Low and Democrat

<b>Family</b>

I live in Babylon with my wife Amanda and our three children (two sons and a daughter).

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

No

<b>Education</b>

Bachelor of Arts from American University and Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School

<b>Occupation</b>

I have served as Suffolk County District Attorney since January 2018. Previously, I served as a federal prosecutor and the Suffolk County Police Commissioner.

<b>Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office</b>

Currently — Suffolk County District Attorney
Previously —Suffolk County Police Commissioner, Assistant Deputy County Executive for Public Safety, Assistant United States Attorney (federal prosecutor)

<b>Campaign website</b>

TimSini.com

<b>Why are you seeking elective office?</b>

I grew up in Suffolk County, and this is where I am raising my family. I care deeply about our future, and I believe the work being done in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to keep us safe is absolutely essential to a vibrant Suffolk County. Our work touches upon so many different facets of our community — from addressing the drug epidemic, gang violence, human trafficking, child exploitation and abuse, our environment, and much more. Over my first term in office, we have reformed the office, reduced crime each and every year, and made tremendous progress on a variety of public safety fronts, including completing the largest MS-13 takedown in U.S. history and devastating the gang, convicting numerous drug traffickers causing fatal overdoses, and bringing the largest illegal dumping case in state history, to name a just a few. We need to continue this progress, and that is why I am running for re-election.

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

The most important job for a district attorney is to keep the community safe. Each year since I have been police commissioner and district attorney my team and I have reduced crime to historic lows. We have also devastated the MS-13 street gang, which in the past has been responsible for violence in our communities. We did so by completing the largest ever MS-13 takedown in U.S. history, resulting in over 300 arrests. We are leading the state in bringing homicide charges against drug dealers causing overdoses and charging drug traffickers with the top felony county which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. At the same time, we have created treatment programs for those people who are addicted to drugs. We have also aggressively prosecuted environment crime and taken proactive steps to protect our drinking water.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

We are running on our record of keeping our communities safe, which includes reducing crime each and every year and devastating the MS-13 street gang. My opponent works at a government-operated casino and is being supported by the political party bosses. In his previous role as Brooklyn’s crimes strategist, crime skyrocketed in Brooklyn, and his office supported bail reform. I oppose bail reform.

<b>How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?</b>

My team and I continued operations in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office throughout the pandemic. We were one of the first offices to migrate to a digital model in March 2020, to conduct virtual court proceedings, and then to return to in-person proceedings later in the year. We provided our team with the support and tools necessary to get the job done.

<b>Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.</b>

In my first term, my office conducted the largest MS-13 takedown in U.S. history, which led to the indictments of 96 MS-13 gang members and associates in Suffolk County and hundreds of arrests around the world. As part of this takedown, we were able to prevent 10 murders from happening in real time, based on the violence we heard being planned on wiretaps. Due to this takedown, the MS-13 leadership retreated. We will continue to remain vigilant to ensure that they do not reconstitute themselves.

I have also consistently opposed bail reform and have advocated against it. When bail reform was first proposed, I wrote op-eds opposing it, made trips to Albany to advocate against it, and visited community and civic meetings to raise awareness against it.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

I have managed the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for the past approximately four years. We took office on the heels of a major scandal, where my predecessor was federally charged with corruption just weeks before my election. Upon becoming district attorney, we reformed the office, decreased crime each and every year, and confronted the most significant public safety threats of our time, including devastating the MS-13 gang. We did this despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and Albany’s passage of laws that have threatened public safety.

<b>The best advice ever shared with me was:</b>

Surround yourself with people who will always challenge you.

<b>What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>

We took over an office marred by scandal and reformed it. We restored integrity to the leadership of the office, recruited top talent and invested heavily in technology. We have reduced crime each and every year and have tackled the most significant public safety threats of our time, including devastating the MS-13 street gang. We also have aggressively prosecuted drug dealers, including leading the state with charging drug dealers who cause fatal overdoses with homicide charges. We have also brought the largest ever illegal dumping case in New York State history, charging 30 individuals and nine corporations with environmental crimes and sent the ringleader to prison. We cleaned up the pollution and convinced lawmakers to stiffen penalties for those criminals who pollute our drinking water.