Milagros Sto Becomes Highest-Ranking Woman in Suffolk County Police History

Historic Promotion for Milagros Sto

• 🏅 Milagros Sto has made history by becoming the highest-ranking woman in the Suffolk County Police Department as the new Chief of Operations.
• 💡 Her promotion marks a significant milestone, breaking barriers for women in law enforcement.

Career Ascent and Early Influences

• 🧠 Sto, who grew up in Manhattan's Lower East Side, initially saw few women in law enforcement.
• 📈 She has served with the Suffolk PD for nearly 37 years, starting in the fourth precinct and sharpening her skills as deputy inspector in the third.
• 🗣️ She noted that when she started, there were very few women and even fewer Spanish speakers in the department.

Impact of MS-13 Gang Violence

• ⚠️ The horrific murders by the MS-13 gang in Suffolk County served as a real turning point in her career.
• 🤝 Sto actively engaged with communities, speaking to congregations to help keep them safe and gather assistance.

Leadership and Police Reform

• 🏛️ She served as a liaison for former commissioner Geraldine Hart's administration during a period of massive police reform in Suffolk.
• 💬 Sto emphasizes the opportunity for women to provide unique insights at the table in a male-dominated field.

Department Demographics and Future Hopes

• ⚖️ Currently, there are nearly 2600 sworn officers in Suffolk County, with 333 being women, but few rise above the detective rank.
• 💪 Colleagues describe Chief Sto as strong, confident, and intelligent, hoping she will inspire other women to have confidence in themselves and their capabilities.
• ❤️ For Chief Sto, making her family proud is what it's all about.