Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison resigning after 2 years
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. -- Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison is resigning after just two years at the helm.
Harrison, 54, made history on Long Island in more ways than one after his three decades with the NYPD.
"I was just blessed to be given this opportunity to be the commissioner for the last two years. I will say this, that I am looking forward to my new life, which is to be around my family," said Harrison, who caught many off guard with the announcement.
Suffolk County political strategist Michael Dawidziak shared the opinion of many voters we spoke with.
"I was surprised for sure," said Dawidziak. "He has, I think, served with distinction. I think he was the right person for the right job at the right time."
Harrison's name will forever be linked to what many believe is the biggest case in Suffolk County history: Rex Heuermann's arrest in the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach killings.
"When I nominated him, I talked about the top priority being the Gilgo Beach serial murder case and with his investigative experience in the NYPD, he was the perfect choice and he got it done," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.
Harrison was selected after a nationwide search. He became Suffolk's first Black police commissioner.
"I don't want to be known as the person that came out here and solved Gilgo, because it was a great team effort that got us to a point of identifying a subject," said Harrison.
Why leave now? Some claim it was ill-advised for Harrison to appear at a private attorney's Gilgo press conference in October. Harrison received veiled criticism from the Republican district attorney.
Most observers say it's because Bellone, a Democrat, is term-limited and the election to replace him is next week.
"I'm going to allow whoever is elected the next county executive to bring whoever he chooses to select to run this department going into the future," said Harrison.
Harrison is credited with creating a multi-agency task force that led to the huge break in the Gilgo case and implementing the department-wide body camera and police reform plan.
"Tremendous, the scope of opportunities he'll have now," said Dawidziak.
Harrison tendered his resignation and plans to leave the position in mid-December. The Gilgo probe and expected trial will continue without him.