Southampton Town Welcomes New Police Chief

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Southampton Town has a new police chief onboard.

The Southampton town board appointed new Police Chief Steven E. Skrynecki at a special meeting Thursday.

Skrynecki replaces outgoing Police Chief Robert Pearce, who retires from the Southampton Town Police Department Friday.

Chief Skrynecki is the fifth police chief appointed since the Southampton Town Police Department was founded in 1951, town officials said.

Chief Skrynecki has been the Chief of the Department in Nassau County since 2010.

He began his career as a patrol officer in Nassau County in 1974 and has held a plethora of posts, serving as commanding officer of the robbery squad, vice squad, narcotics squad, internal affairs, and chief of detectives to the chief of the department.

Recent initiatives include the active shooter program, ethics and policing with integrity, community police relations programs, heroin and gang abatement programs and security for presidential rallies and debates, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said in a release.

“The chief comes to us with tremendous experience,” Schneiderman said. “It gives us extraordinary peace of mind that he will lead our police department in the years ahead. He’s the perfect candidate to take the reins from Chief Pearce, who led the department with such distinction."

He added, "I wish Chief Pearce a long and restful retirement and I look forward to working with Chief Skrynecki.”

Chief Skrynecki is slated to begin inJanuary; Southampton Town Police Captain Lawrence Schurek will serve as acting chief until that time.

Schneiderman, when announcing the decision recently, said Skrynecki is a "highly decorated and respected law enforcement officer. We are thrilled that he's accepted our offer. I think he'll be a tremendous leader for our police department."

Skrynecki, he said, also served in a security capacity at this week's presidential debate.

Pearce announced his retirement in April.

Skrynecki will begin his new duties on January 16, but the town will see a savings of roughly $80,000, because Skrynecki will not avail himself of health insurance or pension benefits, Schneiderman said.

Reflecting on Skrynecki's record, Schneiderman said he's overseen 3,000 people and "basically, held every position in the department. He's extraordinarily qualified. He'll make a tremendous police chief. The officers that serve under him, I think, will find him humble and a team player but also, someone they can learn from."

Skrynecki, the supervisor said, will now begin meeting weekly with key town staffers.