Bill: Rename Nassau Police HQ For First Black Commissioner

MINEOLA, NY — Nassau County lawmakers have proposed a bill that would rename the Nassau County Police Department headquarters building to honor former police Commissioner William Willet, the first African American to hold the title in the county and on Long Island.

The bill, announced Thursday morning by the majority caucus of the Nassau County Legislature, still has to go before the Legislature in September but has garnered widespread support from officials including County Executive Laura Curran, Hempstead Town Senior Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby and police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, who served with the late honoree.

Willet served as Nassau County Police Commissioner between 2000 and 2002.

“I had the opportunity to work with Commissioner Willet in my early days with the Legislature,” Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello said at a news conference Thursday. "Commissioner Willet was highly respected among his peers and was one of the best Police Commissioners Nassau County has ever had. His professionalism and integrity made this decision to name the Police Headquarters after him easy. Now, he will live on in the history books and with his name on the building that houses the police force he helped shape."

The renaming follows months of nationwide demonstrations for racial justice and against systemic racism and police brutality.

Willet was born May 4, 1931, in Glen Cove. As an adult, he joined the U.S. Navy and served four years during the Korean War and conflict. When he returned home, he joined the Nassau police department in 1953 as one of just 15 Black officers in the county. Willet began as a beat cop, patrolling neighborhoods in Garden City Park before working in the Community Relations Bureau during the 1960s and 70s. Willet and his wife, Floretta, married in 1957, and started a family in Westbury.

During his time in the department, Willet became the first African American to move up the ranks and reach these career milestones. In 1981, he became deputy chief of patrol. In 1994, he earned the position of first deputy commissioner. Six years later, then-county Executive Tom Gulotta appointed Willet to police commissioner. The Legislature unanimously approved his appointment.

Willet retired in 2002 after 48 years of service on the force. He died of lung cancer in April 2003 at 71 years old.

The majority caucus of the Legislature was joined at the news conference by Curran, Ryder, Goosby, friend of Willet and Westbury Trustee William Wise and members of the Willet family. After the legislation passes the full Legislature, there will be a renaming ceremony with the entire Willet family.