Is Blakeman's "Special" Deputy Program His Personal Militia?

"This is open season to kill." "clandestine armed presence." "bizarre far-right proposal to undermine law enforcement." "dangerous armed militia of vigilantes."

Less than three weeks before Election Day, Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman faces questions about a controversial program he created as Nassau County executive. The program recruits armed civilians as emergency special deputy sheriffs. What exactly does it do, and why has it provoked such strong reactions?

What Is the Blakeman Special Deputies Program?

Blakeman and then-Nassau County Sheriff Anthony LaRocco announced the program in March 2024. The county's recruitment notice called for up to 75 civilians with pistol licenses, who would have police powers when Blakeman declares an emergency and activates them. Twenty-six were sworn in first. They earn $150 a day when activated.

Blakeman says he needs the special deputies to guard hospitals, government buildings and houses of worship during emergencies, freeing regular police officers for other duties. He calls the program "another layer of protection" for the county's 1.4 million residents. But he also said the special deputies could be used in "chaotic" situations. He would decide what those are. Asked in a television interview whether he could declare a political protest an emergency, he said, "if the riot was to a level where they were burning buildings." He later said, "Of course, it would not be used for political purposes." (New York Times) He told CBS New York he "didn't want to wait until an emergency" to find and vet people.

Critics Call Special Deputies Program a Militia

Opponents question why Nassau County needs the program when it already has a police force of about 2,600 officers and hundreds of auxiliary police. Nassau County resident Sabine Margolis started a Change.org petition that gathered over 2,600 signatures. The petition was titled "Stop Bruce Blakeman's Personal Nassau County Militia." Margolis said it is "the opposite way we want to be going, a private militia with guns."

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, the Democratic minority leader of the Nassau County Legislature, was blunt. When Democratic Legislators Debra Mulé and Scott Davis sued, she said:

Critics also say Blakeman bypassed legislators and kept the program secret by denying public records requests. Some call the special deputies a potential threat to minorities and the county executive's political foes. Blakeman called legislators Mulé and Davis "a disgrace for bringing this [law suit] frivolous action." (New York Times)

Is Blakeman's Special Deputies Program Legal?

What is the legal basis for Blakeman's special deputy sheriff program? The county's recruitment notice cites New York State County Law §655, "Emergency special deputies." It permits a sheriff to appoint extra deputies "for the protection of human life and property during an emergency." But the plaintiffs, legislators Mulé and Davis, say there is no emergency and that the law says the sheriff can appoint extra deputies only during an emergency. Part of the controversy is whether a county can maintain a standing group of armed civilians enlisted by the county executive before an emergency.

The plaintiffs also make two arguments:

• The lawsuit argues that state law lets sheriffs deputize only trained officers from other agencies, not private citizens. So, it says, Blakeman does not have the legal authority to create special deputy sheriffs able to use deadly force and make arrests. (NBC New York/AP)
• The county can't spend taxpayer funds on the program without legislative approval. (News 12)

The lawsuit, Mulé and Davis v. County of Nassau, Blakeman and LaRocco, is in Nassau County Supreme Court. LaRocco, the sheriff named in the suit, retired on July 31, 2026. Blakeman named Robert Matarazzo acting sheriff. The plaintiffs' attorney, Josh Kelner, says, "No New York State official has that authority."

Blakeman's attorney, Joshua Liebman, says the program is "entirely legal and fully compliant with applicable law."

Where does the lawsuit stand? In October 2025, a judge heard oral arguments and denied the county's motion to dismiss the case. The judge also dismissed Blakeman's counterclaim, which critics described as an attempt to silence the plaintiffs through litigation, according to Hoodline. Such lawsuits are commonly called SLAPP suits. The county filed another motion to dismiss on February 2, 2026, according to Patch. That motion was still pending in March 2026, according to The New York Times. As of October 18, 2026, we found no final ruling on the program's legality.

Who Are the Special Deputies?

In the program announcement "Apply to Be a Nassau County Provisional Special Deputy Sheriff Today!", the county requires applicants to have a pistol license, background screening, and firearms training. Blakeman said all special deputies "went through an extensive background check and were trained in criminal law and firearms, and all had valid New York State carry permits." He said they were "respected members of the community, many of whom served in the military and professional law enforcement." (New York Times)

But the plaintiffs note, as reported by News 12, that:

• Five special deputies appear to be in their seventies.
• Four have either been arrested or had warrants issued.
• One is a member of Blakeman's extended family who works in real estate.
• One is a doctor who served on Blakeman's transition team.
• Six already belong to the county's auxiliary police force. (Patch)

Nassau already has hundreds of unarmed auxiliary police volunteers who can assist during emergencies. These volunteers could help guard hospitals, government buildings, and houses of worship, as Blakeman says the special deputies would do.

The special deputy program has also been criticized for lack of transparency. In May 2024, Mulé and Davis filed a public-records request (FOIL) for information about special deputy training and how much the program costs Nassau County. The county responded to the request by providing a press release. By September 2024, 25 people had been enrolled in the special deputy program. The county provided background information on only 19 of the 25. It refused to provide information about the other six. Legislator Mulé asked, "If this militia is such a great idea, why is he [Blakeman] hiding it from the public?"

A Special Deputy Arrested at JFK Airport

On May 28, 2026, Port Authority police arrested one of Blakeman's special deputies after TSA officers found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag at JFK Airport. Blakeman defended him. He told reporters, "He's not a criminal." He said it was a mistake. At the time, the deputy had not been asked to resign.

The Bottom Line

Blakeman's special deputy program raises several important questions. Who decides when an emergency exists? Who commands the armed deputies once they are activated? And can a county legally recruit armed civilians, give them badges, and keep them on standby before an emergency occurs?

Blakeman says the program is legal. His critics disagree. A court may eventually resolve that dispute. But New York voters will choose between Blakeman and Hochul on November 3, potentially before the court decides. Blakeman's special deputy program gives voters another issue to consider.

Related from WNYP

• Blakeman Runs on Affordability. Nassau's Taxes Say Otherwise: Blakeman's campaign slogan is "Make New York Affordable," while Nassau County homeowners pay a median property tax bill of roughly $14,872 a year. He says he "didn't raise property or sales taxes by a single penny," but as Nassau County's presiding officer, he voted for tax increases of 3.6% in 1998 and 9.4% in 1999.