Guest Column

Long Beach Auxiliary Police — helping to protect the city for over 75 years

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One of the most impressive aspects of our Long Beach community is the pride and commitment our residents have for our City by the Sea.

While we are fortunate to have an outstanding team of first responders consisting of our Police Department, professional firefighters, paramedics, volunteer firefighters and lifeguards, one group in particular often goes overlooked. This essential group of volunteers works with our Police Department to help ensure the safety of our residents, businesses and visitors, and is integral in ensuring that each and every event within our city runs seamlessly.

Comprised exclusively of citizen volunteers, the Long Beach Auxiliary Police Department has been operating since 1950. Members of the department come from a wide range of professions and careers, including, but not limited to, CEOs, doctors, attorneys, college administrators and business women and men, and have the option of attending the Nassau County Auxiliary Police Academy, where they receive training in, among other things, criminal law and procedure, first aid, crowd control, traffic control, self-defense, and other necessary police tactics.

A main objective of the LBAPD is to enhance and amplify the Long Beach Police Department’s patrols. Providing support and serving as a visible deterrent, the LBAPD often assists with accident and incident scene control. Additionally, you will see our auxiliary officers on hand at city events such as parades, festivals, rallies and public meetings.

Starting at 7 p.m., every night, with the exception of Sunday, our auxiliary police actively patrol the city until 11 p.m., while also generally responding to emergency scenes to provide traffic control and additional assistance for the police and fire departments.

In the summer, the LBAPD combines its bike patrols on the boardwalk and its beach patrols on the sand — with the use of four-wheel drive vehicles — with its regular patrols in the streets to provide maximum citywide coverage, ensuring the safety of all our residents, businesses and visitors.

Collectively, the members of the LBAPD volunteer nearly 5,000 hours annually, including more than 250 regularly scheduled patrols and approximately 100 special events.

There are currently 34 active members. If looking for a way to give back to our city, while working with some outstanding community members, consider joining the LBAPD or making a donation!

For further information, please visit www.lbapd.com or call (516) 431-6868.

City Councilman Scott Mandel is a member of the

the Auxiliary Police Department in active retirement status since his election to the council.