The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is older than the United States by nearly a century. A traveling exhibit telling its story is now on view in the second-floor gallery of Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville, open to anyone who walks in.

The Town of Brookhaven announced the exhibit on November 6, after Supervisor Daniel J. Panico welcomed Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. for a tour. It is part of the Sheriff's Office's contribution to the national America 250 commemoration of the Declaration of Independence, and it is moving from town to town across Suffolk County.

What is on display

The Sheriff's Office was established in 1683, the same year Suffolk was organized as one of New York's original counties. The exhibit focuses on the stretch from 1776 to today: how the office's law enforcement and corrections work has changed across two and a half centuries.

According to the town, the cases hold:

  • Historical handcuffs
  • Photographs of former county jails and correctional facilities
  • Equipment used by deputy sheriffs and correction officers over the years
  • Dining items once used by people held in county custody
  • Vintage motorcycle gear

A QR code at the exhibit opens a documentary on the history of the office, so visitors can watch it on a phone while they walk the gallery.

Part of Brookhaven's America 250 year

The town is hosting the display as part of its own observance of the nation's 250th anniversary. Panico encouraged residents interested in American history, Suffolk County history or the Sheriff's Office to stop by the second floor and see it.

Because the exhibit travels, it will move on to another Suffolk town after its Brookhaven run. Residents who want to catch it in Farmingville should plan a weekday visit while Town Hall is open.

If you go

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office historical exhibit, second-floor gallery, Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville. Free and open to the public during Town Hall's weekday business hours. More information is at BrookhavenNY.gov.

Sources