Nassau County Executive-elect Bruce Blakeman announced Tuesday at the new police academy in Garden City that he will keep Patrick Ryder as the county's police commissioner.

Some police reform advocates had called on Ryder to resign after comments that the department had difficult holding onto minority job applications because many came from "broken homes." Ryder apologized, and Curran stood by him.

Fred Brewington, of Long Island Advocates for Police Accountability, says the move to keep Ryder shows that there is no interest in serving the multitude of needs that were raised after the death of George Floyd and the emergence of the need for police reform.

"We're not talking about making any changes that would make anyone unsafe," Brewington says. "We're talking about addressing the needs of communities who have been for decades, underserved and under responded to."

Blakeman said he couldn't find a good reason to replace Ryder and believes he is qualified for the job.

"I believe stability and continuity are very important, and if there's no reason to make a change, why should I do it?" Blakeman said.

The choice does have support of the president-elect of the Nassau Police Benevolence Association.

"He cares about the community, and the residents and he cares about his cops," says Tommy Shevlin.

Political consultant Jerry Kremer says a police commissioner going through multiple county executives doesn't always happen.

Blakeman said that he thinks the submitted police reform plan is a "good one."

Blakeman also announced he will keep Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, Nassau health commissioner, and Sheriff James Dzurenda, a Curran appointee.

"Politics has no place when it comes to safety and security decisions. Therefore, I have determined that some personnel in the Curran administration will remain, and others will not," said Blakeman.

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Denis Monette will become the new Commissioner of Office of Emergency Management and Anthony LaRocca will be the new undersheriff.