Born and raised in Port Washington, Detective Anthony “Tony” Guzzello plays a fundamental role in the community. 

Mr. Guzzello joined the Port Washington Police Department in 1983 as a patrol officer, and has been the School Resource Officer and the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Port Washington School District since 1996.

As the liaison between the community’s youth and police department, Mr. Guzzello helps to facilitate an understanding between these two staples of Port Washington.

You can often spot him visiting schools in the district, serving on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, putting on programs for younger children, or giving memorable Driver’s Education lectures at Schreiber. 

Seeing him interact with the community, it’s easy to tell just how much Mr. Guzzello cares about it, especially after hearing why he joined the Port Washington Police Department, in the first place.

“I wanted to help people,” said Mr. Guzzello.  “I wanted to do more for my community.”  

With feasible, wise advice and a mantra of “Be safe. Be smart,” Mr. Guzzello truly tries to promote the best interests of Port Washington’s youth, and, all the while, brings smiles to their faces.

“From elementary school to high school, he has always been a friendly face at all the town events and throughout the community,” said senior Sophie Roth.  “He is such a nice and caring person, and I think our town is very lucky to have him as a police officer.”

It seems that few people actually know this, but Mr. Guzzello has lived in Port Washington his entire life. As a Schreiber Class of 1983 alumnus, he has seen the community transform and grow and believes that the high school has changed since he was a student.

“Schreiber is much bigger now– it only had grades 10-12 back then,” said Mr. Guzzello. “Also, Gambol used to be held in the gym, but now it is at the Sands Point Preserve. And the cafeteria food is much better.”

As a high schooler, Mr. Guzzello took part in some of the same activities that Schreiber students participate in today. He was a volunteer firefighter, the general manager of the Schreiber student store, and the stage crew light controller for the school’s theatre productions. So maybe the Schreiber experience hasn’t changed that much throughout the years, and maybe neither has Port Washington.

Despite having grown up here, Mr. Guzzello still loves Port, especially because the area is surrounded by water.  

“People don’t realize that we’re on an island, and that in Port, there is water on all three sides of you! And I think that Port has incredible sunsets, especially in the winter,” said Mr. Guzzello.  

Mr. Guzzello truly expresses the perspective of a true Port Washingtonian.

Detective Tony Guzzello is a major reason why Port Washington is a safe, amazing place to live and visit. With a friendly face and will to do good, he has and will continue to work towards bettering the community.