Suffolk sheriff graduates 36 Patchogue-Medford student ambassadors

Thirty-six Patchogue-Medford High School students graduated from Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr.’s Student Ambassador Program at the school on May 12, with one participant earning a $650 scholarship from Suffolk Credit Union.

The program gave students direct access to law enforcement staff for discussions on cyberbullying, social media safety, vaping and drug use, a mix of issues that reaches well beyond a ceremonial school recognition. Sheriff’s Office officials said the goal is to foster open dialogue between students and police while giving Toulon candid insight into what young people are dealing with in Suffolk County schools.

This was the second year Patchogue-Medford participated, and the turnout was smaller than the inaugural class, which included 47 students in 2025. That first year also included two $500 scholarships, showing that the program has already moved from a one-time event to a recurring county outreach effort with a tangible incentive for students.

The sheriff’s office said Toulon also runs the Student Ambassador Program in the Central Islip and Wyandanch school districts, placing Patchogue-Medford within a broader youth-engagement strategy. The Community Relations Unit, which handles school and community programs, is responsible for implementing that outreach and for promoting the sheriff’s mission across the county.

For families, the measure of success is not just the photo on graduation day. It is whether teenagers leave with a clearer understanding of the risks they face online and off, and whether they see the sheriff’s office as a place where their concerns can be heard before they become bigger problems. In a county where public trust in institutions depends on more than enforcement, the program is one of the few local efforts aimed at prevention, mentoring and communication before trouble starts.