Born and raised in Lynbrook, New York, Patrick J. Ryder is the son of Seamus and Kathleen, who emigrated from Co. Dublin, Ireland, to New York City in 1955.  They later settled in Queens and then Lynbrook, where they raised their six children.  Patrick attended Lynbrook High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Empire State College.  He subsequently completed a master’s degree in Homeland Security and Management from Long Island University.  Patrick’s distinguished law enforcement career began with the New York City Police Department on January 4, 1984. He joined the Nassau County Police Department on July 18, 1986, and was initially assigned to the 3rd Precinct. In 1989, he transferred to the Bureau of Special Operations, advancing to the rank of Sergeant in 1995. During his career, he has served in the 5th Precinct, the 8th Squad and as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Asset Forfeiture Unit.  In 2008, Patrick was appointed Commanding Officer of Asset Forfeiture & Intelligence.  During his tenure, he implemented several major public safety initiatives, including the Real-Time Intelligence (RTI) system, the R.E.A.C.H. program, the Civilian Intelligence Analyst program, the DNA Collection Initiative, and the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Think Tank, and the Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team (CIRRT).  These programs played a significant role in Nassau County being ranked the safest county in America in 2025.  Patrick was appointed Acting Police Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department on July 20, 2017, and was formally sworn in as Police Commissioner on February 26, 2018.  In addition to his law enforcement role, Patrick is an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Intelligence-Led Policing at Nassau Community College and previously taught at Dowling College.  He serves on the Advisory Board for Criminal Justice at SUNY Farmingdale and has been a Counter-Terrorism Lecturer at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security.  He also serves as the Chairman of the Major Cities Chiefs (MCC) Homeland Security Committee. Patrick is a proud member of the Nassau County Police Department Emerald Society and the Nassau County Police Holy Name Society. Patrick and his wife, Jill, are the proud parents of three children, Liam, Sean and Megan.