Meet Louis Civello, President of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association (PBA)

The Suffolk PBA is the largest police union on Long Island, with 1,800 active-duty members. “We represent all active Suffolk County Police Officers. In addition, we have thousands of retired and upper-ranking associate members,” says Civello.

He took over as President in late 2023 upon the retirement of his predecessor, Noel DiGerolamo. Previously, Civello had served as Vice President as well as in various other positions within the PBA.

“We advocate for the rights, benefits, and pay of Suffolk County Police Officers. We negotiate the contract that sets wages and working conditions for our officers. The Suffolk PBA is part of SCOPE (Suffolk Coalition of Public Employees). SCOPE negotiates the County’s Healthcare Plan, which covers all county workers and their families.” Civello serves as President of SCOPE.

Running a police union in 2026 is a daunting task. Being a police officer is a difficult and dangerous job to begin with. Recently, police have come under criticism from social justice movements and others. They have faced calls for more accountability, body cameras, and oversight. In addition, police officers—who were once revered—have been frequently cast in a less favorable light. Police applicants, once plentiful, have now dwindled across the country, prompting Civello to write his own op-ed about the nationwide recruitment and retention crisis. Despite all this, the Suffolk PBA has flourished becoming renown for its power and influence. Asked why this is, Civello had this to say:

“The power of any union flows from its members. What sets the Suffolk PBA apart is our investment in our own members. We are constantly engaging with them. It starts at the Police Academy and continues long after they’ve hung up the uniform. I go to speak to every recruit class. I’ll outline the pay, the benefits, and the protections they have under our contract. Despite the stoic military atmosphere of the Academy, the smiles inevitably creep across their faces. As they do, I ask a simple question: Why do you think you get these things? Those who have no police experience usually answer, ‘Because the job is dangerous.’ I then ask the former NYPD officers in the room if they agree. They never do. The answer prior cops give is just as wrong. Former police officers seem to think they won the civil service lottery—that people love police officers so much in Suffolk County they just hand us whatever we want. I ask about all those deep red states where they love police officers and what those officers make. That puts an end to the civil service lottery myth. I tell them in no uncertain terms: we get what we get because we fight for it.”

Civello goes on to say the union doesn’t just advocate for police officers—it also advocates for county residents.

“When there was that drive to defund the police,” Civello says, “we pushed back. When the media and the fraudsters stormed the thin blue line and it started to crack, we shored it up. They wanted to replace us with social workers. We said, ‘Not in Suffolk County.’ They passed bail reform and a slew of other insane laws. We took the fight to Albany. We call them out on their recklessness. We point out every violent criminal they let free, and we demand justice for every new victim they create. We intend to keep fighting.”

Civello said it goes back to engaging his own members and political activism. The Suffolk PBA has the most robust grassroots political operation outside of a major political party. After Civello took over last fall, the Suffolk PBA had over 1,500 members knock on residents’ doors for pro-police candidates. It’s an impressive number and shows just how far the Suffolk PBA is willing to go to influence election outcomes.

The Suffolk PBA even operates its own Super PAC, the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation. It has been a force to be reckoned with on Long Island and beyond. It was even the subject of a New York Times story.

Asked about criticism that the Suffolk PBA has outsized influence, Civello makes no apologies. “If anyone is going to have influence over public safety, it should be the people who risk their lives to uphold it. The billionaire class and the keyboard warriors shouldn’t be the only ones involved in selecting our leaders. Cops—who are everyday working people—have every right to take part in the political process. We’ll continue to fight for laws that keep these heroes safe, and for that I make no apologies.”

The PBA also gives back by caring for the wives and children of fallen officers and by donating to many Long Island charities. They recently pledged $50,000 to help build the first Ronald McDonald House in Suffolk, which is slated to be built outside Stony Brook Hospital. They also hold an annual holiday event at the Premm Learning Center in Oakdale, a school for children with severe disabilities. Each Christmas, they purchase a toy for every child in the school. Santa then visits the school, accompanied by police officers who act as elves. “The day is magical for the kids and the cops,” Civello says.

Being Suffolk PBA President is a demanding job.

“Being a police officer is a twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week job,” says Civello. “So my job is twenty-four-seven.”

Who is his support when he has those long days?

“My wife, Dawn, and my sons Louis and Jacob,” says Civello. Louis is 16 and Jacob is 14. “Yes, sometimes it is difficult to be away from my family, especially my sons at this formative time in their lives. I would like to think I am a good role model for them. They know what I and the police officers I represent do, and they are proud of me.”

Would he be happy if either of his sons wanted to go into law enforcement?

He replied with a chuckle, “As long as it’s in Suffolk County.” He went on, “Yes, if that was their passion—their vocation—I would be afraid for their safety, but very proud of them.”

Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Brentwood, the organization can be reached at suffolkpba.org.

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