Meet Det. Erik Breitwieser of the Southampton Town PBA

Detective Erik Breitwieser is the President of the Southampton Town Patrolman’s Benevolent Association (PBA). With great pride, he acts as the bridge between his members, the Department, and the community.

Det. Breitwieser has been President of the Southampton PBA for eight years and has served on the Town’s PBA Board for the past 18 years.

“I did not initially plan to be President of our PBA … I learned so much over the years from past presidents and board members. I love the PBA and what it does for those we represent. After learning so much, it seemed the logical next step was to run for President when we had a vacancy in that role. We not only look out for our members but the community as well.”

While serving as president, Det. Breitwieser has expressed a strong interest in making the Town’s PBA “family friendly.” While this is not a new concept, Det. Breitwieser understands how crucial it is for members’ families to be able to depend upon those with a shared experience.

“When you are an officer, you miss holidays, birthdays, and other important events,” says Det. Breitwieser, who has two young children of his own. By bringing families together, PBA members’ children can gain an understanding of what their parents do while letting them know “that there are other kids who are going through the same things.”

Another vital function of the Southampton PBA is giving back to the community.

“Most people think of us only as negotiating union contracts with the town. But we also work with residents, giving back to the communities we serve. We get involved with local issues because this is where we live and work. The residents here support us, and it is a pleasure to give back to them.”

Det. Breitwieser also believes in the importance of the Town’s PBA members being seen as a part of the Southampton community.

“We want them to see us as familiar faces, people they can turn to when something is wrong,” Det. Breitwieser explains. “We work within the schools. I still smile when a young student sees one of us out of uniform and doing things around town. They get so excited. Sort of like we did when we were young and saw our teacher in the grocery store.”

Being a recognizable part of the community is just how he likes it.

He even has a personal favorite community function – the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Calverton that supports local Special Olympics New York athletes. The Southampton Town PBA joins with the Riverhead PBA and countless others in this chilly event.

“It is not jumping in the water that I love,” Det. Breitwieser acknowledges. “I like helping the athletes of the Special Olympics.”

Det. Breitwieser is not the only one who is excited about lending a hand.

“Our members go above and beyond both on duty and off,” he explains. “During the holidays our community chest committee delivers food to local food pantries, churches and veterans’ organizations. We co-sponsor a cornhole tournament with Southampton Village PBA that benefits local charities. We help sponsor the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E), which is an in-school program.

“As police officers we are held to a higher standard and are held accountable if there is something wrong,” he says. “But we want the community to see us as belonging as a part of them. Many PBA members coach local sports, volunteer in the fire service or EMS. We just wear a uniform part of the time. One of my jobs is to bridge the gap between our union, the Department, and the community. We strive to make our members the best they can be, while also fostering a good relationship with the community. We are extremely fortunate that they support us, and we are appreciative of that.”

One way the Town’s PBA demonstrates their appreciation is through their annual Matthew Wilson Memorial Scholarship, which goes to two seniors who attend a high school in the Town of Southampton. Each scholarship is $1,000. Applicants must be pursuing criminal justice, law, or other police-related degree. Applicants must submit a 250-word essay describing themselves and their interest in a law-related degree.

Send finished applications to: Southampton Town PBA, P.O. Box 591, Speonk, NY 11972. Applications must be submitted by May 15. Applicants should indicate which school they attend and the college they will be attending in the fall.  For more information on the annual Matthew Wilson Memorial Scholarship, please visit stpba.net/?zone=/unionactive/view_page.cfm&page=Scholorships.

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.