Long Island launches new anti-shark patrols after beach bite as top official dives in to defy Jaws

You’ve been warned, Jaws.Nassau County’s top elected official took a dip at Nickerson beach Monday to prove the waters were safe — as new anti-shark patrols were launched after one of the predators took a bite out of a swimmer.County Executive Bruce Blakeman said anti-shark patrols would scan local beaches while air- and sea-borne police would also keep an eye out for summertime hazards like riptides.“There are sharks in the water,” the Republican told reporters.“We are increasing our patrols this summer on the oceans as we do every summer, but we’re putting up more drones than we have before, keeping our helicopters in the air longer, and our boats on the water longer.”The announcement came about two miles from the spot on Jones Beach where a woman was bitten by a small sand tiger shark last week — a minor incident, though Blakeman said sharks and riptides have become increasingly common on Long Island.

.Blakeman said the ultimate goal is safety — and that these increases make sure the marine police can flag any issue in the water that could affect the safety of people swimming before the situation has a chance to escalate.Beachgoers told The Post they’re all for the extra eyes on the ocean.“I like that there is another set of eyes out on the water so we can just enjoy our time here and not really have to worry about sharks as much,” said Caitlin Rinaldi, a 23-year-old self-described beach bum. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post’s signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between.Subscribe here!But others said they felt safe for a “little while” when the new patrols launched Monday but they feared it was all for show.“Once [Blakeman] left, so did the patrol,” said Lauren Porcelli, who was visiting the beach with her children.However, Blakeman said he timed the press conference to line up with the Nassau Marine Police’s scheduled patrol of Ni...