The 35th Annual David Lerner Associates 5K Supports Long Island Police
David Lerner Associates, a privately-held securities broker dealer headquartered in Syosset, New York, announced more than 200 runners participated in the 2026 David Lerner Associates Police Appreciation Run at Eisenhower Park, which supports the Police Crisis Fund. The fund provides assistance to Long Island law enforcement officers and their families dealing with emergency situations. In addition, $1,000 of the proceeds went toward the Nassau Police Running Club and its Scholarship Fund. Over the 35 years that this event has taken place, David Lerner Associates has contributed more than $500,000 to empower police officers and their families when they’re in need.
This year, the overall winner was Jason Sinert of the Bellmore Striders for the second year in a row. The first-place female finisher was Fiona McLoughlin, who is training for the US Olympic Marathon Trials. The first-place finisher in the Law Enforcement Masters Division was 51-year-old Mark Spottiswood, who is the new president of the Nassau Police Running Club.
“Year after year, the David Lerner Associates Police Appreciation Run reminds us of the deep connection between our company and the communities we serve. The outpouring of participation and generosity we see at this event is a testament to how much people value the men and women who put on a badge every day,” said Martin Walcoe, President & CEO of David Lerner Associates. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to standing by our local police officers and their families, especially in their most difficult moments, and we look forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come.”
The annual event is held in partnership with the Greater Long Island Running Club and offers a platform for the Long Island’s extensive running community to offer tangible support for the men and women of local police forces. It includes both a 5k race along with a one-quarter-mile FREE kids fun run.
This year’s event held special meaning, as the Police Crisis Fund presented $5,000 checks to the families of two Nassau County Police Department officers who passed away earlier this year. Officer Sean Ledwith, a member of the Nassau County Police Bureau of Special Operations and a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and one in Kosovo with a United Nations peacekeeping force. Officer Patricia Espinosa, a nine-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department’s Fifth Precinct, was killed after a drunk driver struck her vehicle while she was commuting to work.
“Officers Ledwith and Espinosa gave everything in service to their communities, and their families should never have to face the burden of financial hardship on top of their grief,” said Walcoe. “The Police Crisis Fund exists precisely for moments like these, and we are honored that the funds raised through this run can provide some measure of relief to those they left behind.”
David Lerner Associates, founded in 1976, is a privately-held investment company. David Lerner Associates is headquartered in Syosset, New York and has branch offices in Boca Raton, Florida; Lawrenceville, New Jersey; White Plains, New York; and Westport, Connecticut. For more information, visit www.davidlerner.com.
Photo Credit: Bob Savino