DR. ERROL TOULON JR.
The First African American Democrat elected non-judicial countywide Sheriff of Suffolk in New York.
“I hope that any individual, no matter what race, ethnicity or gender, if they pursue their dreams or their goals, they can achieve anything they want.”
He is ready to fight crime in Suffolk County as the county’s new sheriff. He is the first African American elected to a major Suffolk County position. He used to run the gang unit at Rikers Island, said the department under his leadership will help combat the MS-13 gang in Suffolk County. He was a former aide to County Executive Steve Bellone. He was a board member of Suffolk County Water Authority. Dr. Toulon has 30 years of criminal-justice experience, heavily centered upon corrections intelligence and combating gang violence both inside and outside of correctional facilities. His criminal justice experience commenced with 22 years as a uniformed Member of Service with the New York City Correction Department, where he served as a supervisor and instructor at the Correction Academy, the Firearms and Tactics Unit, Emergency Service Unit and Office of Compliance Consultants. Errol then spent two years serving the constituents of Suffolk County as the Assistant Deputy County Executive for Public Safety under the administration of County Executive Steve Bellone, where he supervised eight public-safety departments, including the Suffolk County Police Department and the Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency services, as well as the Medical Examiner’s Office.
In July of 2014, Errol was named Deputy Commissioner of Operations for the New York City Correction Department. During his two and a half year tenure as Deputy Commissioner, he oversaw the Applicant Investigation Unit, Training Academy, Correction Intelligence Bureau, Emergency Preparedness and the Policy and Procedures Unit.
Errol is certified through the Department of Homeland Security in Emergency Planning, Radiological Emergency Management, Incident Response to Terrorist Bombing, WMD Threat and Risk Assessment and State Disaster Management. In addition, Dr. Toulon is certified to teach Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness, NIMS, Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes. He received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Dowling College, an Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security Management from Long Island University, recently completed his Doctorate in Educational Administration and attended leadership courses at JFK School of Government at Harvard University
Harvard University.
He is a definite fighter A two-time cancer survivor of Stage 3a Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996. He underwent several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. His radiation treatment to his chest and neck had to be discontinued for several months because he became increasing sick and unable to swallow.
After battling lymphoma for a little over a year, he was then diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2003. He underwent a ten-hour operation (known as the Whipple Procedure). The mass at the head of the pancreas was removed successfully and no further treatment was required .
Toulon said Monday he looks forward to combating gang violence and the opioid epidemic in Suffolk, and introduce a “strong re-entry program” for those leaving county jails.