Confide Counseling says thanks to Rockville Centre officers

The Confide Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center honored officers from the Rockville Centre and Nassau County police departments, an investigator from the state attorney general’s office, a District Court judge and one of its own staff members at its 10th annual Criminal Justice Partnership Awards, a luncheon ceremony on Oct. 7 at the Maple Avenue firehouse.

Hosted by Confide’s executive director, Art Rosenthal, the event celebrated the agency’s unique collaboration with local law enforcement and judicial communities, honoring each recipient’s partnership with the Confide staff in helping people overcome addiction and working to curtail drug-related crime and trafficking.

“Everybody here has the well-being and safety of our communities in mind, and is working toward helping citizens in one way or another,” Rosenthal said. After thanking the many local officials, representing a range of governmental agencies, who filled the room, he mentioned recent prescription drug-related incidents, saying that the community is seeing “the tentacles of the heroin scourge.”

“Sometimes people in law enforcement feel like they’re going nowhere,” said Rosenthal, urging them to refuse to give in to that way of thinking.

“I’ve been in the field for 43 years, and I’ve seen a lot — heartbreak galore,” he said. “Our staff will do whatever it takes to give the kind of help people need. Thank you all for your efforts toward a much better way to deal with this kind of thing — we work together.”

District Court Judge Anthony Paradiso, on behalf of Confide’s board of directors, echoed Rosenthal’s thanks to those in the law enforcement and judicial communities for working toward safe and drug-free communities.

Inspector Glenn Quinn, the Rockville Centre Police Department’s second in command, began the individual presentations by calling on Detective Frank Marino, a 22-year veteran of the force who works in its anti-crime unit and has been involved in many narcotics investigations. Quinn spoke highly of Marino’s abilities as an interrogator and an interviewer, saying that his enthusiasm, combined with an easygoing style, helps him get information his fellow officers might not.