Nassau Notebook: New Police Commissioner, Film Tour

New Police Commissioner Announced

County Executive Ed Mangano announced Monday his selection of Thomas V. Dale as Nassau’s next commissioner of police. Dale, a resident of Nassau County, currently serves as chief of personnel in the New York Police Department (NYPD) and has been an NYPD sworn member for more than 40 years. He is one of only eight three-star chiefs in all of New York City.

Dale presently serves as NYPD Chief of Personnel where he has been accountable for the human resource responsibilities of 52,000 employees. Dale served as assistant chief in Queens County, commanding all police operational and administrative functions for more than 2,200 members of the patrol force and coordinated all police activity, including narcotics, detectives, emergency services, counter-terrorism activities and community relations. During this period, Queens County saw a reduction of 17 percent in major crime.

Dale rose through the ranks working in the patrol and detective divisions, organized crime control bureau and on the terrorist taskforce.

Commissioner of Health Appointed

Mangano announced Wednesday the appointment of Lawrence E. Eisenstein, M.D., F.A.C.P. as Commissioner of Health. 

Dr. Eisenstein has served as the Deputy Commissioner of Health since December 2009. He completed his medical training in Nassau County at Winthrop University-Hospital in Mineola, first as an Internal Medicine Resident, then as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, followed by a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases. Eisenstein is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease.

Mangano Partners with LITTOA for Holiday Toy Drive

Mangano announced Tuesday that Nassau County has joined with the Long Island Taxi Transportation Operator’s Association (LITTOA) for a holiday toy drive to benefit Nassau County’s Big Brothers & Big Sisters.

LITTOA members are collecting new/unopened toys now through Dec. 15 and the public can give a new, unopened toy to a LITTOA member’s driver or drop a toy at a number of taxi offices throughout Nassau County. LITTOA members will also donate gift cards from Wal-Mart, BestBuy and Target for the older children and teens so they can choose a special holiday gift.

The following locations will accept donations through Dec. 15:

• Arena Taxi Of Glen Cove, 61 Glen Cove Ave., Glen Cove
• All Seasons Taxi of Westbury, 333 Union Ave., Westbury
• Dawson Taxi of Baldwin, 777 Brooklyn Ave., Baldwin
• Long Island Checker Taxi, 47 North Main St., Freeport
• Valley Stream Taxi, 10 Station Plaza, Valley Stream
• Village Car Service, 34 Atlantic Ave., Suite 200, Lynbrook

County Starts Film/Studio Tour

On Tuesday, in an effort to further attract the motion picture industry to Nassau County, Mangano met with 15 of the film industry’s location managers, as well as several film and commercial producers and actors to begin a two-day tour of Nassau’s hottest filming spots. The former United States Navy-Grumman Corporation property in Bethpage is now home to production studios that encompass three buildings and nine sound stages. In 2010, Nassau County hosted 650 production days – more days than Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx combined. It is estimated that the film industry provided $85 million in economic impact for Nassau County in 2010

In October 2011, Mangano released a countywide economic development plan entitled “Accelerate Nassau Now” that pursues the continuation of incentives for the movie and television industry. Working to secure State-based economic incentives and grants, Nassau plans to create a countywide cyber catalogue of filming locations which will allow producers to view potential filming sites from their computers. By making it easier for producers to view Nassau’s resources, they will be more likely to choose Nassau County as their production location. The county is also advocating for a continuation of New York State incentives for film production. 

Tour destinations include the Allegria Hotel and Spa in Long Beach, as well as various county parks and museums, including Eisenhower Park and the Old Bethpage Village Restoration. A tour of the Nassau County Correctional Center, also used often for filming and television work, will be seen, as well as Nassau County’s newest New York State approved soundstages: Gold Coast Studios and Grumman Studios – both in Bethpage.

Mangano has recently approved television shoots for Royal Pains, Running Wilde and Comedy Central at the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative and Executive Building in Mineola. 

The Film Friendly Nassau County Location and Studio tour has attracted location managers who have worked on film and television shows such as the new Avengers movie, Salt, White Collar, Michael Clayton, Rescue Me, Sex and the City II, Julie and Julia, Morning Glory and Sorcerer’s Apprentice. 

The Film Friendly Nassau Location and Studio Tour is being sponsored by the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (IDA).