Nassau County Presiding Officer Norma L. Gonsalves was recently honored by the Parents for Megan’s Law Crime Victim’s Center. Presiding Officer Gonsalves was recognized at the “Presenting the Champion for Children and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault” gala attended by Suffolk and Nassau elected officials, police commissioners, child advocates and IBEW union members.
PFML Executive Director Laura Ahearn thanked PO Gonsalves for her life-long work of protecting and educating children. “For nearly 20 years Presiding Officer Gonsalves has been a collaboration builder, uniting various entities and spearheading initiatives designed to protect Nassau’s most vulnerable. She was instrumental in forging the working relationship between the PFML agency and the Nassau County Police Department which grew into the very successful Megan’s Law Community Support Programs which provide information and resources to Nassau County residents and school districts, including registered sex offender e-mail alerts, and support to law enforcement efforts to ensure registered sex offenders are compliant with registration requirements under the law,” said Ms. Ahearn
PO Gonsalves was given the “Nassau County Legislature Champion for Children Lifetime Achievement Award” and was also thanked for her leadership that has taken the issue of sex offender residency restriction all the way up to the New York State Court of Appeals.
“I am very grateful for the award, but this quest has never felt like work to me,” said PO Gonsalves. “I persevere because of my great passion to make this world a better, safer, place for our children.” PO Gonsalves also thanked the members of the Nassau County Police department and PFML for helping to implement programs to help children throughout the county.
Also honored at the gala were Richard H. Schaffer, Town of Babylon Supervisor, Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislator, Thomas D. Croci, New York State Senator, Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Legislator, and Thomas Muratore, Suffolk County Legislator.
Shown in photo: PFML Executive Director Laura Ahearn and Presiding Officer Norma L. Gonsalves.