Anthony Rando joins Island’s police force

The newest member of the Shelter Island Police Department, Anthony Rando, graduated on May 12 from the Suffolk County Police Academy. Two days after completing the six-month course, he begun his required field training on Shelter Island, which means he began working full-time with another officer. Once he has completed this training phase, Mr. Rando will be qualified to work independently as a full-time officer on the nine-man police force, according to Police Chief Jim Read.

Mr. Rando, 23, came to the Island with his family in 2002 and went to Shelter Island High School for his junior and senior years, then left the Island in 2006 to attend Nova Southeastern University. The family business, Sweet Tomato’s restaurant in the Heights, lured him back and he returned to work in 2009 as head chef and co-manager with his brother, Jimi.

After about a year, he left the restaurant for the Police Academy. Though he was sad to leave the family’s business, he admitted that he looked forward to the challenges of police training. “I’ve wanted to be a police officer for most of my life,” he said during an interview in October 2010, when he first entered the academy. “I’ve had three or four uncles who are police officers in New York City and I’ve always looked up to police officers.”

Now, with the Police Academy behind him, and at work on Shelter Island, Officer Rando said he is enthusiastic about his field training. “I love it so far,” he said this week, explaining it involves being mentored by one of the other officers, working different shifts, learning police procedures and how to process paperwork. The field training will probably end next month, he said, adding that it’s up to Chief Jim Read.

“Mid-June,” the chief said on Tuesday, adding that he was happy to have Mr. Rando join the force. “He’s bright and enthusiastic and brings a new energy,” he said. He called the newest member of his department “a breath of fresh air.”

Mr. Rando, who is engaged to Lindsay Springer, plans to marry in the fall.

“It’s nice to give back to the community and be able to protect this great town that we live in,” he said.