Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison announced his surprise resignation late Thursday night, according to a report. The resignation comes months after Harrison helped lead his department in the capture of Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuerman.
Harrison said in a memo to his officers that being police commissioner was “one of the highlights” of his career, FOX 5 reported. He also said he would formally notify Steve Bellone in Suffolk County on Friday of his resignation, according to the New Yorker.
“Serving as the Suffolk County Police Commissioner for the past two years has been not only a privilege, but one of the highlights of my law enforcement career and it’s because of you,” Harrison said in the note, the Post reported .
“It has been an honor to be a part of this organization and to work with so many talented individuals,” he added. “Every day, I am struck by stories of heroism, bravery and dedication to the people of this county. To say I appreciate and admire each and every one of you is an understatement.”
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Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison led the task force that helped police capture the suspect involved in the Gilgo Beach serial killings. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
The memo did not reveal the date of Harrison’s last official day in office or what his plans would be for the future.
Harrison, the former NYPD chief, was first hired as Suffolk County police commissioner in January 2022.
Rex A. Heuermann, the architect accused of killing at least three women near Gilgo Beach, Long Island, appears before Judge Timothy P. Mazzei in Suffolk County Court Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Riverhead, New York (James Carbone/Newsday via AP, Pool))
Heuermann was caught and arrested in July. She faces multiple murder charges stemming from the mysterious disappearances of several women in the 1990s, which became cold cases after they remained unsolved.
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Suffolk County prosecutors have charged Heuermann with six counts of murder in three cold-blooded killings of Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, and Megan Waterman, 22. They also named him as the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth woman, 25. -Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who was found near the other three victims.
According to legal documents, Heuermann used fictitious names and online accounts to solicit and arrange sexual activity with the women before murdering them.
Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison delivers remarks with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office at a press conference as a suspect is arrested in the Gilgo Beach serial killings in Massapequa Park, Long Island, New York on July 14, 2023. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Harrison, along with District Attorney Ray Tierney, headed the Gilgo Beach cold case task force.
Rex A. Heuermann, the architect accused of killing at least three women near Gilgo Beach, Long Island, appears before Judge Timothy P. Mazzei in Suffolk County Court Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Riverhead, New York (James Carbone/Newsday via AP, Pool)
Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to his current charges and would face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
Michael Ruiz of Fox News contributed to this report.