Detective Sergeant James Cerone

Detective Sergeant Cerone has been a member of the Suffolk County Police Department since September of 2000. He has always been an active and energetic police officer. He has been in several commands in the Department from the 4th Precinct, Narcotics as a detective, and Identification Section as a Detective Sergeant since 2017.

In 2009 Detective Sergeant Cerone was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in the muscle of his leg. This aggressive cancer diagnosis was met with his determination to beat it. It was the first time he had taken a sick day in his career. Even with this diagnosis, he retained his positive attitude at work. After having the tumor removed, yearly scans confirmed that the cancer was not present.

In July 0f 2018 the cancer resurfaced. He was diagnosed with myxoid liposarcoma, an aggressive cancer of the soft tissue. Anyone would be terrified by this realization, but Detective Sergeant Cerone continued to come to work and be an instrumental part of his command. He has undergone multiple chemotherapy sessions, as well as a trial immunotherapy treatment. His attitude while undergoing treatment is incredible. There is always a smile on his face and he is eager to be involved. It often appears as if his greatest concern is how he can do more at work. To the amazement of his coworkers and subordinates, he often is back at work shortly after receiving treatment. On a positive note, the treatments appear to have kept his condition stable for many months now.

Detective Sergeant Cerone’s determination, work ethic, and positive attitude is an inspiration to all who know him. It was without hesitation that he was nominated for the 2021 Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award.