Hi everyone!
When I retired from the YPD as the Public Information Officer I made a clean break from social media to separate any personal profiles from the Department’s pages, so thank you for bearing with me as I start up again.
Last Thursday I had the honor and privilege to accept the Yonkers Republican City Committee nomination for the office of Yonkers City Council President! I would like to publicly thank the party for their endorsement and entrusting me to represent the organization and our values as I run for public office for the first time – I will work tirelessly to meet the obligations of this great responsibility and always put the well-being of our residents first; every decision will be made within the parameters of what is the right thing to do for the People of Yonkers.
I have been asked often of late why run for public office, and it’s a question I have given much thought to in order to articulate a good answer not just for the public but for my family and myself. Some background:
I grew up the child of immigrants and small business owners in New York City; watching my parents work long hours to support their family and observing the sacrifices they made in pursuit of the American dream instilled in me an appreciation for a strong work ethic and respect for the rule of law. Combined with a desire for public service – a desire shared by many who are drawn to careers in government, public safety, and the military – becoming a police officer was a natural transition and I left college early to join the NYPD three months before 9/11; the events of that terrible day reinforced my commitment to public service and being on the side of good.
I joined the Yonkers Police Department in 2003 and had an amazing twenty-year career as a police officer and supervisor; there is no better job and I learned from the best. I had the good fortune to have a career that spanned the entire City with different titles and roles, but the best part was spending time with the people I worked with and helping the people I worked for – the residents and community members of Yonkers.
As a public servant, you have the ability to positively impact people’s lives and help find solutions to their problems; the desire to do good doesn’t leave when you retire. And although I am no longer an active police officer, I want to continue doing what I have done for most of my adult life – helping the people of Yonkers.
So I have decided to run for Yonkers City Council President. If elected, my intention is to execute that role with the same leadership, organization, and management skills that I have acquired through years of public service; I believe the City Council would benefit from having a professional administrator and increased professionalism in general… One of the most important duties of a leader is to make a decision, and my decisions will be guided by what is best for the people of Yonkers, advocating for the people of Yonkers, and creating those conditions that enable the City to thrive.
I think it is also important to have a Republican leader to serve as a check-and-balance against the Democrat supermajority. To my Democrat friends and colleagues, I love you and will work with you and respect you individually, but your party has lost its mind especially on the state and national level. The negative impact Democrat ultra-left policies have had in New York, especially in the areas of crime, energy, and taxation, are the strongest drivers of resident exodus. Democrat policies have literally reduced our quality-of-life which has created the ‘vibe shift’ to the right. It’s time for a change. Elections have consequences. Vote for common sense – Vote Red.
Speaking of elections, there will be a Republican primary. Ward leaders, district leaders, and friends (thank you!) will be out there collecting signatures from registered Republicans – please consider holding your signature for my petition, only the first signed petition counts. By all accounts the gentleman who is also running is a good man and I wish him well; I’m running on my track record of service and community outreach and believe I can best serve the Office of City Council President.
Finally, please consider registering for our contact list at dean4yonkers.com – I have it pointing to a Google form for now to capture data. If you are interested in helping out or have any questions or want more info, please call me on my cell at (917) 991-1223.
More info to come soon – thank you and thank you for supporting me! Dean.