By Hank Russell
Nassau County Democratic legislators and civil rights attorneys have filed a lawsuit against County Executive Bruce Blakeman, challenging what they say is the creation of an illegal taxpayer-funded civilian militia. This was announced at a press conference on February 5.
Represented by the New York City law firm Kelner & Kelner, Esqs. and the Free and Fair Litigation Group, the elected officials are seeking to block Blakeman’s administration from deputizing private citizens as “special sheriff’s deputies” and using public funds for a program that lacks transparency, oversight, and legal authority.
According to the lawsuit — obtained by Long Island Life & Politics –the county executive “[has] not publicly explained how a group of less than one hundred armed civilians would materially aid the thousands of trained, registered, sworn, and armed police and peace officers available to meet the needs of Nassau County residents in the event of an emergency.” It goes on to say these authorizations “[pose] clear and obvious safety risks, both to trained law enforcement and the public at large” and “is a waste of public funds.”
The lawsuit also accuses Blakeman of refusing to comply with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests from Debra Mulé (D-Freeport) and Scott Davis (D-Rockville Centre), both of whom are members of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee. The plaintiffs alleged the county executive “stonewalled, and then effectively denied, the request, without justification” and also “withheld all information about how the program is being paid …” and “sought to shroud their illegal program in secrecy.”
“If this militia is such a great idea, why is he hiding it from the public?” Mulé asked.
As previously reported by LILP, Blakeman introduced this program to allow citizens to be armed deputies. The program has since been met with resistance from local elected officials and community organizations. Some have also called on New York Attorney General Letitia James to look into Blakeman’s program.
The lawsuit demands that the court declare Blakeman’s militia illegal, halt all public spending on the program, and compel the administration to comply with public records laws.
Legislator Seth Koslow (D-Merrick), the Ranking Member of the Legislative Public Safety Committee, emphasized the lawsuit’s urgency, stating, “Bruce Blakeman’s militia is not about public safety—it’s political theater at the expense of Nassau County residents. There is no justification for creating an unaccountable and illegal force that answers only to the County Executive. We already have a highly trained police department and emergency responders. This militia is a reckless abuse of power.”
“New York State law is clear: only professional, sworn officers can wield police powers,” said civil rights attorney Josh Kelner of Kelner & Kelner, Esqs. “Blakeman’s militia is illegal and a clear threat to public safety. We are taking this case to court to stop it before it’s too late.”
The plaintiffs said this lawsuit comes as similar armed civilian forces gain traction in Republican-led municipalities across the country.
“County Executive Blakeman’s militia endangers public safety in Nassau County and the health of our democracy nationwide,” said Carey Dunne of Free and Fair Litigation Group. “Our lawsuit alleges an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America, where a handpicked group of armed vigilantes operates secretly at the beck and call of an unchecked executive. We cannot let the abuse of executive power go unanswered — at any level of government.”
Koslow raised concern that Blakeman suggested that these armed civilians could be deployed to patrol protests, which he found to be deeply troubling. “Let’s be clear — this isn’t just a bad idea, it’s an authoritarian tactic,” Koslow said. “The County Executive is essentially creating a private force answerable only to him. That’s dangerous, unaccountable, and has no place in a democracy.”
“We will not allow Bruce Blakeman to put lives in danger,” said Legislative Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove). “This is not the Wild West, and he is not some sheriff in an old-time Western. Nassau residents deserve real public safety—not anonymous civilians with badges.”
LILP reached out to Blakeman’s office, but did not hear back as of press time.