Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon, Jr. visited Maplewood this week to speak with our fifth grade classes. Sheriff Toulon shared his life story with the students, spoke about the duties of his job, and was happy to answer a lot of student questions. Toulon is Suffolk’s 67th Sheriff and the county’s first African American to be elected to a non-judicial countywide office.
Sheriff Toulon is one of the Grand Marshal’s at this year’s Unity Fun Day parade on Saturday, April 6th presented by the Town of Huntington and hosted by the South Huntington School District. Since 2010, Unity Fun Day has been a highlight of the community’s efforts to showcase the diverse people, organizations and programs that make up Huntington.
He shared with the students about how he was born and raised in the South Bronx and wanted to play for the Yankees when he grew up. “I was not nearly as good as I needed to be to become a professional ball player. So I decided to go into law enforcement and follow my father's footsteps. My dad was a warden on Rikers Island. My mom was a school secretary in the public schools in the South Bronx. So I decided to become a correctional officer,” said Sheriff Toulon.
But his life took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 and that led to changes in his career where he ultimately went back to school and earned his Doctorate in Education Administration. But despite all his successes, he admitted to the students that another bout with cancer and the death of his wife left him with a little anxiety, feeling depressed and “mad at the world.” He wound up almost applying for a job as a cashier at Wendy’s. “I had been a deputy commissioner, even though I had an MBA, I'm not embarrassed to tell all of you that I almost applied for a job as a cashier at Wendy's. And the only thing that stopped me was my mother,” said Sheriff Toulon.
His mom’s advice was to “give it a little time” and she knew something good would come his way. He told the students that he had always promised his mom that he would do something great with his life, so he didn’t take the cashier’s job. Soon after, the opportunity to run for Suffolk Sheriff presented itself, and he told the fifth graders that he decided to take a chance. He hopes sharing his story will help students make good decisions, surround themselves with positive people, and to not be afraid of taking chances.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be the sheriff of Suffolk County,” said Sheriff Toulon. “And I tell you this because sometimes you have to take a chance on life. So you can't give up on yourself. Don't be afraid to take a chance to succeed.”
(left to right) Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vito D'Elia, Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon, Jr., BOE President Mr. Nicholas Ciappetta, and Maplewood Principal Dr. Bill Hender.
We thank Dr. Toulon for taking the time to speak with our students, and look forward to his return to South Huntington as Grand Marshal at the 2024 Unity Fun Day!