New Bureau To Examine Gangs And Gun Violence: Suffolk DA

HAUPPAUGE, NY — A new bureau has been formed to tackle violent criminal enterprises like street gangs involved with gun violence throughout Suffolk County, District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday.

The Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau will “combat gun violence and criminal activity perpetrated by gangs and criminal organizations operating in Suffolk,” Tierney’s office said. It will use multiple investigative strategies, including sophisticated crime scene and data analysis "to build successful conspiracy and enterprise corruption cases against offenders” to "incapacitate and dismantle" the "violent enterprises," Tierney's office stated in a news release.

“Combatting violence through an ongoing and coordinated approach using the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau will make the people of Suffolk County safer,” Tierney said.

Suffolk’s Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison, who recently retired from the New York Police Department before taking up his new post, previously worked with Tierney when he was an ADA in Brooklyn, according to a recent report by Pix 11 News.

Harrison said that he and Tierney are going to be tackling the county's gang problem, by "coming after them with precision policing" and "coming after the right individuals."

Tierney announced the bureau, along with a sweeping list of personnel changes.

As part of the changes, he's re-organized the office’s legal staff into five divisions containing bureaus such as The Criminal Investigations Division, which will contain the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the Narcotics Bureau.

Other divisions include the Conviction Integrity Division, which will contain the Conviction Integrity Bureau, as well as the appeals and training bureaus; the Intake and District Court Division, which will also include the intake and the district court bureau; and the Trial Division, which will include the felony offense, child abuse and domestic violence, East End, and case advisory bureaus.

The Special Investigations Division will contain the financial investigations and money
laundering, public corruption, finance and asset forfeiture, and vehicular crime bureaus.

Tierney tapped Allen Bode as chief assistant district attorney and Christopher J. Clayton as Special Counsel to the District Attorney and as Division Chief for the Special Investigations Division. Jed Painter, who comes from the Nassau County DA's office, will serve as general counsel, and Richard Zacarese as chief investigator.

James Chalifoux will serve as the division chief for the Trial Division and Megan O’Donnell as division chief for the Criminal Investigations Division and the Intake and District Court Division.

Leslie Anderson will serve as an executive assistant district attorney for Community Partnerships and Engagement, and Catherine Loeffler will serve as special advisor to the District Attorney.

Former Newsday reporter Tania Lopez will serve as Tierney's director of communications.

Tierney's office said it was "to illustrate his vow to remove politics and special interests from the pursuit of justice and to keep communities safe countywide."

Tierney said he his excited to finally begin "the important work" of his office.

"When it comes to law enforcement issues that affect their health and welfare, I have received a mandate from the people of Suffolk County," he said. "I am committed to having a team that is independent, fair, effective, and singularly focused on keeping all Suffolk County residents safe."

“This team and the creation of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau represents the future of pursuing justice in Suffolk County and reinforces my commitment to serve all of the citizens of the county," he added.