51吃瓜

51吃瓜鈥檚 (FSC) Center for Criminal Justice Studies was proud to recently host an inspiring lecture by Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. held in honor of FSC alumnus and New York City Police Officer Mark Ellis, Class of 1997, who was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor for his heroic actions rescuing victims trapped in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

鈥淢ark Ellis, a graduate of Farmingdale鈥檚 Criminal Justice degree program, made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the public as a New York City police officer,鈥� said Michelle Miranda, PhD, director and chair of FSC鈥檚 Center for Criminal Justice Studies. 鈥淚t's not only important that we carry on Mark's legacy, but that our students know that we support and acknowledge the career paths they choose after they leave the halls of Farmingdale. Whether protecting the public on the streets, defending victims鈥� rights in a courtroom, helping inmates reintegrate into society, or advocating for marginalized voices that have long been silenced鈥�you鈥檒l always have a place here in our community.鈥� 

Attended by faculty, staff, and students, the morning event was held in Gleeson Hall and featured an extensive presentation covering Sheriff Toulon鈥檚 distinguished 41-year career in public service and his current role as Suffolk County's highest-ranking law enforcement official.

Throughout the presentation, Sheriff Toulon highlighted his office鈥檚 key initiatives including innovations in crime reduction, school safety, offender rehabilitation, drug addiction, human trafficking, combating gang violence, and a first-in-the-nation Corrections Intelligence Center, while offering FSC鈥檚 students a unique look into the 1200 sworn and professional personnel opportunities within the Suffolk County correctional system.

Sheriff Toulon--the first African American to serve as sheriff in the Suffolk County office鈥檚 342-year history as well as Suffolk County鈥檚 first African American to be elected to a non-judicial countywide office--opened with warm details about his family, including his father who was a warden at the Rikers Island Prison Complex for 36 years and his mother, who was a school secretary for the New York City Board of Education as well as his love for the Yankees and his start as a New York City corrections officer in 1982. Over his extensive career he worked in multiple Rikers Island Prison Complex units and oversaw 鈥渟ome of the most dangerous prisoners in our system at the time.鈥� 

Now serving his second term as Suffolk County Sheriff, Sheriff Toulon works to protect the county鈥檚 1.5 million residents while ultimately focusing on inmate rehabilitation. 

鈥淢ore than 85% of the men and women who are in custody are returning back to our communities,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd rather than have them thinking about committing another crime to support themselves, we鈥檙e offering educational services for them to develop skills while they鈥檙e with us. We start the reentry process the minute someone is incarcerated. I try to be compassionate but yet still firm, fair, and consistent鈥�and try to open their eyes up to the different opportunities that we provide them to be successful when they leave our custody.鈥�

A three-time cancer survivor who earned an MBA and an EdD from Dowling College and numerous post-graduate certifications including through the Department of Homeland Security, Sheriff Toulon shared a message of perseverance and the importance of hard work.

鈥淚f you surround yourself with the right people--people who are smart, have high integrity, and are ethically sound--if you are determined to do what you want to do, you can achieve anything,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd be patient with yourself,鈥� he added. 鈥淪ometimes things aren't going to come as quickly as you would like, but you have to continue to grind and work hard.鈥�

Sheriff Toulon looks forward to joining FSC鈥檚 esteemed adjunct faculty this spring. 

Student perspectives
Alessandra DiGesaro, 鈥�27, a criminal justice: police, courts, and corrections major, felt the lecture was 鈥渧ery insightful.鈥� 

鈥淚 learned some information that I didn鈥檛 know about the office鈥檚 different divisions,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was under the impression it was just corrections and police. I didn鈥檛 know there were more branches. Knowing that helps a lot as I plan for the future.鈥� 

鈥淚 thought he was super inspiring,鈥� said Angela Cheung, 鈥�26, a criminal justice: police, courts, and corrections major. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a really great speaker. And I didn鈥檛 know that there were so many different units, like a K-9 unit and a human trafficking unit, which I think is really awesome for victims of human trafficking. I feel like at a lot of places, [crime victims] are overlooked. They don鈥檛 realize that there are people who have gone through that.鈥�

鈥淸Sheriff Toulon] is very kind and he explained everything very well,鈥� said Ashley Lipton, 鈥�27, a criminal justice: law enforcement technology major, agreed. 鈥淭oday gave more of an insight into what the job actually is. I didn't realize that it was that involved and how much it offers. I like how the College gives us so many different events to explore job related opportunities,鈥� she added.

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