The Nassau County Police Department will celebrate 100 years of service with a parade on April 27.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder made the announcement about the upcoming event on Wednesday, March 26, at Mulcahy’s bar in Wantagh. They were joined by other county officials, as well as Detective First Grade Kenneth Baribault, who Blakeman honored at the event.
Baribault was struck by a drunk driver while on duty in 2008 which left him in a wheelchair. Blakeman gave him the first award bar commemorating the department’s 100th anniversary.
The parade will begin at 2 p.m.,moving down Wantagh Avenue and ending on Park Avenue by the Wantagh train station. The ensuing block party will be held by the Wantagh Chamber of Commerce and will feature similar festivities to the chamber’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in March.
A representative from the Nassau County Police Department said it is expecting to have at least four or five pipe bands, a motorcycle platoon that will go through the county, the NYPD marching band and antique police cars, including a 1941 Plymouth. Former county police officers will also be invited to march in the parade, the Police Department said.
The Nassau County Police Department was founded in 1925 with 55 active officers. It now boasts 2,600 active members, making it one of the largest police forces in the country.
In the event of bad weather, the festivities would be moved to May 4.
