Sini Sworn In As Suffolk County District Attorney

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — New Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini took the oath of office Tuesday, promising to crack down on the drug epidemic and to proactively combat MS-13.

Sini was elected in November, replacing former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota, who resigned after he was indicted on charges connected to covering up former police chief James Burke's assault on a man in custody in 2012 and the subsequent federal investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's Eastern District of New York Office.

Sini's inaugural ceremony was held in the Van Nostrand Theater at Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant campus in Brentwood. Sini was joined by his wife Amanda and their three children as he was sworn in on his family’s Bible by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer.

“Today marks the moment that together, we usher in a new era of criminal justice in Suffolk County — one that ensures public safety, champions the law, and promotes public trust and faith in our law enforcement agencies,” Sini said. “Our goal is a simple one, and that is to make the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office the best it can be. . . We will have a culture where we are tough but fair, where we view our legal and ethical obligations as a way of life and not as burdens, and where we simply do the right thing in each and every case, every task, and every moment that we are fortunate enough to serve the people of Suffolk County."

Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone served as the master of ceremonies for the inauguration.

Sini, the former Suffolk County Police Commissioner, was joined on stage by members of his administration, including Chief of Staff Justin S. Meyers, Chief Assistant William T. Ferris III, incoming Division Chief Tad Scharfenberg, incoming Division Chief Megan O’Donnell, and Acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner John W. Barry, who will be joining the District Attorney’s office as chief investigator once a new police commissioner is appointed, a release said.

At the ceremony, Sini outlined his goals.

“We are going to implement a structure and a team so that we are able to address the public safety challenges of our time,” Sini said. “We are going to be on the cutting edge of stemming the tide of the drug epidemic. We are going to adopt policies that better incentivize treatment for those who are suffering from drug addiction, while treating drug dealers who peddle poison for profit like murderers whenever the law and evidence permit it. We are going to proactively target MS-13 and other violent street gangs through our newly created gang unit, and work collaboratively with all of our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level."

Other plans include putting the brakes on illegal dumping, protecting workers from exploitation, and defending witnesses and victims, he said.

“Every place [District Attorney Sini] has gone, he excelled,” Schumer said. “But he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth; he’s not one of these people who thinks he hit a home run because he was born on third base. He came up the old fashioned way, working hard every step of the way. He got to this position the old fashioned way: he earned it."

“Tim Sini will meet the challenges ahead with a tireless work ethic, a commitment to excellence, and a core set of convictions founded in faith and family,” Suffolk County Executive Bellone said, adding that Sini took the helm of the police department in the wake of scandal. "People quickly began to see what I had seen: this man leads. He puts the best people in leadership positions — individuals defined by character and integrity. He listened, he learned and he launched groundbreaking new initiatives that helped drive crime down to the lowest level in recorded history."

Bellone added that Sini will "usher in a new era of law enforcement in this county that will have a profound impact on public safety and the ability of this government to reach its full potential."

Sini had a promise for his new colleagues in the DA's office: "This is a new day. A day where you can be hopeful and excited for the future. I promise that I will do my best to empower you to do great things. You have the talent, and now you have a loyal leader. Together, we are going to create something that we will proud of for the rest of our lives," he said.

Patch courtesy photo.