Police group marks 20th year in Baldwin

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Richard Ornstein, vice president of the New York Veteran Police Association, was sitting in the Irish Pub on Merrick Road one day recently when a man offered him office space in New York City space for his Baldwin-based organization. Ornstein didn’t have to think twice before giving his answer.

“I told the man, very politely, that nothing he could do could get me to move out of Baldwin,” he recalled. “We like Baldwin. It’s very convenient, and the people are very friendly.”

Many New York communities have hosted the NYVPA’s headquarters, but for the past 20 years its home has been Baldwin. It was originally located in the Koch Building, at Sunrise Highway and Grand Avenue.

NYVPA President Lou Telano said he has no plans to move the group while he is in charge.

“People know that our main office is in Baldwin,” said Telano, of Wantagh. “We can’t beat the rent right now, so we’re not going to be going anywhere.”

Telano spent five decades in law enforcement, and his legendary partnership with John Sepe inspired the 1970s TV series “Starsky & Hutch,” according to many published reports. The two took down many criminals in New York City using unorthodox methods, such as dressing up as potential victims to track down wanted men.

The NYVPA was previously located in Lower Manhattan, but moved to Baldwin after many of its executive officers moved to Long Island. “I lived in Freeport at the time, and the president then was in Merrick,” Ornstein said, “so it just made sense for us to move the offices out here.” Telano added that many members also called Nassau County home. “A lot of officers either retire out here or get married and move over here,” he said.

The NYVPA was founded in 1891 to raise money for the families of retired and active officers who didn’t have enough money for funerals. Over the decades, it transformed into a fraternal organization that assists law enforcement officials — not just police — across the country with accessing health care, learning new laws and regulations, and finding attorneys when needed.

It has also hosted fundraisers for the families of fallen officers, donated to several charities and sponsored programs at local businesses owned and operated by retired law enforcement personnel.

NYVPA spokesman John Carpenter said the organization’s main goal is to ensure officers are not forgotten. “We’re there for them,” Carpenter said, “to make sure that all the work they’ve done is remembered.” He said former law enforcement officials often join to help out others, just as they did while in uniform. “They still have that need to aid and assist their community, as well as their brothers and sisters in blue,” he said.

The group, Ornstein said, has had many celebrities support its endeavors, including Mickey Mantle, Jackie Gleason and Whitey Ford. The group mostly supports itself through dues paid by members, but also hosts fundraisers throughout the year.

Telano also regularly promotes the group during his weekly radio show, “Street Wise,” on Freeport-based WGBB 1240 AM. During the show, which airs every Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Telano discusses law enforcement issues in New York and across the country.

The group has also lobbied for several causes such as the extension of the Zadroga Act, which provides health monitoring and financial aid to the first responders of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “A lot of our first responders are still dying and ill from that,” Telano said. It has also endorsed several candidates for public office, including President Trump in July 2015. In April 2016, the group presented Trump with “the America’s Finest Award for advocating for law enforcement groups and promising to battle illegal immigration at the United States-Mexico border.

Those interested in learning more about NYVPA can call (516) 378-5200.