Following the observance of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) is highlighting recent philanthropic and governmental efforts aimed at ensuring Nassau County’s law enforcement professionals have unfettered access to potentially life-saving mental health care resources.
During the legislature’s meeting on Monday, Dec. 16, County Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton joined her colleagues in recognizing Fourth Precinct Officers Stephen Orlando & Adrian Lally for organizing the department’s fourth annual “Mustache Movember,” an observance that raises awareness of police suicide and generate funds for the New York Law Enforcement Assistance Program, a nonprofit organization that provides mental health services to first responders. This year, Mustache Movember raised more than $8,000.
Earlier in the fall of 2019, Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton joined her colleagues in a unanimous, bipartisan vote to create Mental Health and Wellness divisions within the Police Department and Sheriff’s offices. These new divisions will be tasked with providing confidential peer support, training, and other resources such as a smartphone application and website for active and retired officers.
“To truly show our appreciation for the law enforcement professionals that serve and protect Nassau County residents on a daily basis, we must do all we can to ensure sufficient mental health care resources are in place and that these men and women can reach out for help in their hour of need without hesitation,” Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton said. “I am heartened that my colleagues and the leaders and members of Nassau County’s law enforcement agencies are prioritizing the mental health and wellness of every individual that wears the uniform.”
