On Jan. 30, Lieutenant Reilly, along with ECOs Dickson and Smith, responded to reports of a humpback whale found deceased at Lido Beach Town Park in Nassau County.
The Officers spent the day securing the scene with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement, Nassau County Police, Town of Hempstead Bay Constables, and Town of Hempstead Public Safety.
The ECOs also performed public outreach throughout the day and coordinated plans for a necropsy and burial with Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS). On Jan. 31, Lt. Reilly and ECOs Pabes and Giarratana continued site security and observed the necropsy and burial process.
The 40-year-old male humpback whale was 41 feet long and weighed 14.5 tons. The necropsy revealed it was likely killed by a vessel strike.