Two longtime East Rockaway auxiliary officers retire

Two longtime members of the East Rockaway/Nassau County Auxiliary Police Department Unit No. 111 retired last week, with kudos from the East Rockaway Village Board, their fellow officers, family members and members of the community.

“They were both outstanding officers in our unit, always available to work many details, with pride,” said East Rockaway Mayor Bruno Romano. “Our community will certain miss them. I wish them well in their future endeavors.” Romano added that the village has an extremely active unit, led by Deputy Inspector Diane LauKaitis, who is constantly recruiting new members and training her current staff with new issues, and safety measures. “We are certainly blessed in East Rockaway to have these individuals volunteering their time, [and] in assisting the Nassau County Police Department in patrolling our streets.”

PFC Donald LauKaitis had 39 years of service with the East Rockaway unit. He joined the Nassau County Auxiliary Police (then known as the Office of Civil Preparedness) on Aug. 18, 1976 and was appointed as one of the first cadets of the program. He rode on Friday nights as his regular patrol night, and attended all village functions, including marching in the village’s Memorial Day Parade. He’s donated over 10,000 hours over the years, and patrolled the one-mile square community hundreds of thousands of times.

In 1988, LauKaitis received the highest commissioners highest award: Award/Bar for saving the life a man who had a heart attack at Bethany Church. Due to the quick thinking and the CPR training he had through the Auxiliary police academy, the man was brought back to life and recovered fully.

In 2003, he received the Excellence Award by apprehending two youths that destroying and stealing holiday decorations throughout the village. They were charged with petty Larceny and aggravated harassment.

In 2008 he was presented with his second Commissioners Award/Bar for saving the lives of thousands as a drunk driver headed for the Memorial Day’s parades end and ceremonies.