The suit claims a Republican county executive's creation of an armed unit of volunteer residents amounts to an “illegal, taxpayer-funded civilian militia.”

The corps created by Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, is “an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America,” said a lawyer representing county lawmakers.

Are public taxpayer dollars being used to finance a controversial Nassau County civilian law enforcement program? Democrats are looking to un-arm Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman's so-called "citizen deputies.

The suit challenges the legality of the “special deputy sheriffs” program announced in March 2024 to public outcry by Blakeman, which authorizes the activation of “minimally trained, unregistered

Democrats in the Nassau County Legislature sued County Executive Bruce Blakeman over his "provisional special deputies program," a force of armed civilians he could activate in an emergency.

Democratic Nassau County legislators are joining together to sue Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman over his plan to deputize citizens as

Two local lawmakers sued New York’s Nassau County and Executive Bruce Blakeman for creating what they claim is a “taxpayer funded militia” of armed civilians he could call into action to aid the government during emergencies.