Rodney Harrison officially announced his intention to step down from his position as Suffolk County Police Commissioner on Thursday night, according to multiple news outlets.
Harrison’s tenure as police commissioner lasted almost two years, and his assumption of office marked a historic moment as he became the department’s first Black police commissioner.
During this time, Harrison played a pivotal role in the Gilgo Beach Task Force, culminating in the arrest of alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann.
This announcement comes just days before the Suffolk County Executive race between Democrat Dave Calone and Republican Ed Romaine.
Steve Bellone, the incumbent County Executive, is not running due to term limits. This influenced Harrison’s decision, as he wants to allow the new County Executive the freedom to start fresh with a new commissioner.
Bellone, a Democrat, appointed Harrison to the office in 2021. In recent years, Suffolk County’s elections have favored Republican candidates.
Before his appointment as commissioner, Harrison had served as the NYPD chief of department for approximately nine months. His prior role was as the NYPD chief of detectives from 2019 to 2021.
The Suffolk County Police Department declined to comment on Harrison’s resignation.
