Errol D. Toulon Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Errol D. Toulon Jr.
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| 67th Sheriff of Suffolk County | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Vincent F. DeMarco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 20, 1962 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Susan Toulon
(m. 1984; died 2013) Christina Toulon (m. 2016) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Suffolk County, New York |
Errol D. Toulon Jr. was born on July 20, 1962. He is the 67th and current sheriff of Suffolk County, New York on Long Island. A sheriff is a top law enforcement officer in a county. Toulon made history by becoming the first African American sheriff in Suffolk County. He was also the first African American to be elected to a county-wide office there that wasn't a judge. Sheriff Toulon was re-elected for a second term on November 2, 2021.
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Early Life and School
Errol D. Toulon Jr. grew up in The Bronx, New York. His parents were Errol Sr. and Alma. His father worked as a deputy commissioner in the New York City Department of Corrections. His mother worked in education.
When he was a teenager in the late 1970s, "Junior" had a cool job. He worked for two years as a batboy for the New York Yankees baseball team.
He went to Cardinal Hayes High School. Later, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 2007. He also got an advanced certificate in Homeland Security Management. In 2011, he completed his Doctorate in Educational Administration. He also took leadership classes at Harvard University.
Errol Toulon's Career
Working in New York City Jails
Toulon spent 22 years working for the New York City Department of Correction. This department manages jails, including Riker’s Island, which is a very large jail complex. He worked as a supervisor and teacher there. He taught at the Correction Academy and worked with special units.
In 2014, Toulon became the Deputy Commissioner of Operations for the New York City Department of Corrections. This was a very important job. He was in charge of about 10,000 employees. He helped the commissioner make big decisions about how the jails ran. His main goal was to make management and strategies better.
Helping Suffolk County Public Safety
From 2012 to 2014, Toulon worked for Suffolk County, New York. He was the Assistant Deputy County Executive for Public Safety. In this role, he helped oversee many important departments. These included the Suffolk County Police Department, Fire Rescue and Emergency Services, and the Probation Department.
Becoming Suffolk County Sheriff
In 2017, Errol Toulon ran for Suffolk County Sheriff. He won the election with many votes. On January 12, 2018, he officially became the sheriff. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo swore him into office. This was a historic moment. He became the first African American to be elected to any county-wide office in Suffolk County that was not a judicial role.
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has started several special programs under Sheriff Toulon.
Senior Rehabilitation Program
One program helps older men who are in jail. It's called the Senior Rehabilitation Pod Program. It separates inmates who are 50 and older from younger ones. This allows them to get services that are better for their age group. The program offers many types of help. This includes counseling and job search assistance. The goal is to improve their lives while in jail and after they are released.
Chaplaincy Program
In April 2018, Sheriff Toulon started a new chaplaincy program. Chaplains are religious leaders. These 10 chaplains, from different faiths, help the Sheriff’s Office staff. They offer emotional and spiritual support to employees and their families. This is especially helpful during tough times or when staff are stressed.
S.T.A.R.T. Resource Center
In February 2020, Toulon launched the Sheriff's Transition and Reentry Team (S.T.A.R.T.) Resource Center. This center helps people who have been in jail. It helps them get back into the community. The center provides help with finding jobs and housing. It also helps with mental health support and getting food or clothing.
The S.T.A.R.T. Center has helped over 500 people. It has a great success rate. Only 12% of people who work with the center go back to jail. The national average for people returning to jail is 30%. This shows the program is very helpful.
Corrections Intelligence Center
On April 26, 2023, Toulon opened the Corrections Intelligence Center. It is located at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Yaphank. This center is special because it's the first of its kind. It helps jails and prisons share information. They share data, trends, and possible threats.
This center has specially trained officers from different agencies. These include the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the New York City Department of Correction. Many other counties also participate. Sheriff Toulon plans to expand this center to partners across the country and even internationally.
Personal Life
Errol Toulon has bravely fought cancer three times. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1996. He also had pancreatic cancer in 2003.
His first wife, Susan, passed away after 29 years of marriage. They had two children together. He remarried in 2016.
