Louis Civello, president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, detailed an incident in which a protester he had arrested for trespassing tracked him to his home and harassed his family. The incident, which occurred in early 2026, has fueled calls for stronger legal protections for law enforcement officers in New York.
During a New York State Public Safety Alliance event advocating for increased protections, Civello described how the individual, after being arrested for trespassing at Civello's office, obtained his home address and arrived with a billboard truck. "They can buy billboard trucks," Civello stated. "There's only one reason to come to my house, right? I'm a public figure. Everyone knows where my building is in Suffolk County. There are seven police precincts in Suffolk County that you can protest in front of if you so choose. You only come to my home to terrorize my family, to get at me via my wife and my children."
Civello argued that current laws are insufficient to protect officers from such harassment. "Right now, no law against it. No law against coming to my house," he said. "No law is publishing my address. If you want to look me up, look any police officer up, look any of us up, it's a few clicks of a mouse." He called for an anti-doxxing law and for New York to adopt protections similar to Florida's "Halo Law," which creates a buffer zone around first responders.
Scott Munro, president of the Detectives' Endowment Association, also spoke at the event, highlighting the growing number of assaults on police officers. "Assaults are up, almost 2,500 assaults this year alone on police officers, felony assaults, and public servants in New York City," Munro reported. The New York State Public Safety Alliance, which he helps lead, comprises 99 unions representing various public service workers, including firefighters, sanitation enforcement agents, and bus drivers, all seeking enhanced safety measures.
Civello's experience underscores a broader concern within law enforcement regarding personal safety and privacy in the face of increased public scrutiny and protests. The New York State Public Safety Alliance is pushing for legislation to address these issues, aiming to prevent similar incidents and protect the families of public servants.