East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo on Tuesday named veteran Sergeant Joe Kearney to be the new commander of the department’s Montauk precinct.
Chief Sarlo made the announcement to the Town Board during a work session at the Montauk Fire Department headquarters on Tuesday morning.
Sgt. Kearney has been an EHTPD officer for 18 years, and a sergeant for seven years.
Chief Sarlo said that Sgt. Kearney’s appointment to head up the Montauk precinct represents a new approach to the hamlet’s policing strategy. Rather than putting a lieutenant in charge of the precinct, as has been the practice in the department, Sgt. Kearney’s leadership will be both in the role of the commanding officer and as a patrol supervisor.
“He will be more of a boots on the ground supervisor,” Chief Sarlo told the Town Board. “He’ll be overseeing nights and weekend patrols. Senior staff will be very hands-on overseeing the Montauk operations this year.”