Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Former Suffolk County police chief accused of soliciting sex at Long Island park
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Aug 22, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Aug 22, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The disgraced former Long Island police chief who already went to prison for beating a suspect was arrested again on Tuesday for allegedly soliciting sex at a park, police said.
James Burke, 58, was arrested at Suffolk County's Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park Tuesday morning and charged with offering a sex act, public lewdness, indecent exposure and criminal solicitation, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said. The Suffolk County Park Rangers’ Targeted Response Unit carried out the arrest while patrolling the park because of several complaints they received about the area, officials said.
“Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of those areas that we've received numerous complaints about quality of life issues up there, so we're attempting to do our best to curtail that,” Steve Laton of the Suffolk County Parks Rangers said at a press conference.
Rangers in plain clothes had just gotten to the park when they encountered Burke, authorities said. An arrest report obtained by the Associated Press said Burke exposed himself to a ranger and said he was interested in oral sex.
Burke also attempted to leverage his former law enforcement position to avoid the arrest, asking the ranger if he knew who he was, officials said on Tuesday.
“He was expressing to us how this would be a public humiliation for him and such,” Suffolk County park ranger Sgt. Brian Quattrini said.
Burke was the head of the Suffolk County Police Department between 2012 and 2015, once leading the Gilgo Beach killings investigation. He resigned in late 2015 and was ultimately indicted and then pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a handcuffed robbery suspect and orchestrating a cover-up.
An attorney for Burke could not be reached on Tuesday.
Tagged
public safety
long island
Catalina Gonella
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .