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Maria Sexton

Maria Sexton

~ Maria's Corner ~

     I am uniquely qualified for the position of Town Supervisor.  I have a strong administrative background and extensive supervisory and field experience.  I can, literally, write a plan, set up a budget for it and make it happen; directing, supervising, and monitoring the entire operation. 

     I have extensive administrative experience; reading, analyzing, and writing plans, reports and budgets that are hundreds of pages long. I have the ability, though, to break those reports down and make them short, accurate and readable, so that anyone can read and understand them easily.  I organize and run meetings professionally, welcoming input and collaboration.

     I have substantial experience supervising and managing personnel.  I supervised my own personnel on a continuous basis for twelve years and would supervise hundreds of personnel at a time during mobilizations.  I also created a highly acclaimed program made up of 62 volunteers, supervising them, clearing bureaucratic roadblocks, and articulating all of the good work that was accomplished. 

     Additionally, I have a tremendous amount of field experience.  I planned for, and executed the deployment of personnel and equipment, quickly and efficiently in large, small, planned, and unplanned operations.  On patrol, I have extensive experience handling violent crimes, individual crisis situations (both mental and emotional) and medical emergencies, emphasizing tactics, de-escalation and problem solving.  I also have extensive Counter-Terrorism training and experience and have a thorough knowledge of the law and its practical application. 

     In summary, I have the skills, experience, ability and most importantly, the dedication to become the next Town Supervisor.

BACKGROUND:

  • NYPD Police Officer and Sergeant for 20 years.

  • High School Social Studies Teacher for nine years.

  • Bachelor’s Degree in History and Master’s Degree in Social Studies in Education.

  • Within the NYPD, created, directed, and supervised a program comprised of 62 volunteers that investigated animal cruelty cases.  It yielded tremendous tangible results (surveillance, warrants, arrests, animal seizures, etc. - including dogfighting locations), as well as intangible results (enhanced positive community relations).

 

EXPERIENCE AND ABILITIES:

  • Twenty-nine years of public service.

  • Vested in the community for over 25 years.

  • Well educated and professional.

  • Extensive supervisory experience.

  • Extensive experience training, teaching, public speaking and developing presentations.

  • Substantial experience organizing and running meetings as well as writing and deciphering complicated specialized reports.

  • Ability to make complicated reports simple - concise, accurate and easily read.

  • Twenty years of patrol experience handling homicides, shootings, assaults, domestic disputes, etc., including response to riots and large demonstrations. Extensive Counter-Terrorism training and experience, including identification, investigation, and tactical response. 

  • Twenty years of positive community interactions, including community events, outreach events, and intervention in crisis situations.

  • Counseling, Conflict Resolution, Conflict Mediation and De-escalation Certified.

  • Knowledge, understanding and application of criminal, civil and vehicular laws.

 

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BIOGRAPHY - DETAILS

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EDUCATION:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in History, Lehman College - Magna Cum Laude

  • Master’s Degree in Social Studies in Education, Lehman College 

 

WORK HISTORY:

  • Social Studies Teacher, Kennedy High School - Nine Years

  • NYPD, Sergeant and Police Officer - Twenty years

 

EXPERIENCE:

  • Patrol Officer/Sergeant for the majority of my NYPD career.  Response to 911 jobs (homicides, shootings, stabbings, assaults, larcenies, domestic incidents, child abuse, etc.), large scale incidents (parades, riots, demonstrations, etc.), handled non-criminal quality of life complaints and aided civilians in medical emergencies.  Worked closely with prosecutors to ensure the effective prosecution of criminal cases.

 

  • Trained in Counter-Terrorism, including identification, investigation, and tactical response.  As Counter-Terrorism trained, designated as first to respond (from patrol) to terrorist attacks.

 

  • Created and updated detailed contingency reports for the 12 precincts in Patrol Borough Manhattan North (effectively the northern half of Manhattan).  Wrote contingency plans for large scale disasters (floods, earthquakes, blackouts, etc.).  The plans included manpower, specialized unit, equipment, and transportation deployments as well as evacuation routes and relocation areas.  Each plan included coordination with other emergency personnel (Fire, EMTs, etc.).

 

  • Developed and conducted training sessions in animal cruelty identification, investigation, laws, arrest procedures and prosecution.  Trained all the Animal Cruelty (Precinct) Liaisons in the 12 precincts in Patrol Borough Manhattan North, as well as numerous classes of officers and sergeants that were newly assigned in that area.

 

  • Taught high school history for nine years - five classes a day, up to 35 students in each class.  The subjects covered world regional history (Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and U.S), covering history, culture, religions, conflicts, politics and societal issues.   Included: writing lesson plans, devising and administering tests, creating local and state curriculum and assisting in writing state Regents exams.

 

  • Trained and certified in Conflict Resolution, Conflict Mediation and Counseling.  Extensive training and experience with de-escalation methods. It proved useful while teaching but proved essential during my police career.

 

  • Created, directed, and supervised the Animal Cruelty Liaison Program in Patrol Borough Manhattan North (NYPD).  It consisted of 62 officers that volunteered to conduct animal cruelty investigations, in addition to their normal duties.  The officers followed up on 911/311 calls of suspected animal cruelty.  They responded to locations, conducted investigations, made arrests (if appropriate) and intervened to provide assistance in non-criminal cases (where the involved parties needed help).  Additionally, they participated in animal adoption events held with the ASPCA and ACC (The Animal Care Centers - the city animal shelters).  The program produced substantial results including many (mostly felony) arrests, but also helped people who were having trouble caring for their pets properly (arranging for ASPCA outreach teams to help them) and enhanced community relations tremendously during adoption events. The program was unfunded and neither myself, nor the officers, received compensation for participation in the program.  Substantial concrete results were achieved (surveillance, warrants, arrests, animal seizures, etc. - including dogfighting locations), as well as intangible results (enhanced positive community relations).  The program received recognition from NYPD executives, the ASPCA and the media. 

 

  • Knowledge, understanding and application of criminal, civil and vehicular law.

 

  • Ability to read complicated material and make it simple, conveying the points clearly and accurately.

 

  • Researched and developed materials and notes to prepare NYPD chiefs for citywide executive meetings.

 

  • Experience dealing with the media regarding specific animal cruelty arrests and scheduled events.  Interviewed in the field, via phone (for articles) and on a NYC morning show. 

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  • Served as a UFT (United Federation of Teachers) representative for 7 years, representing the teachers at John F. Kennedy High School (a school of almost six thousand students).  In the latter few years, represented the school UFT members in the citywide union body (in addition to representing them within the building).  These responsibilities were in addition to full teaching responsibilities (5 classes of up to 35 students in each).

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