26. James Carver

James Carver had reason to cheer this spring when the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority voted to approve contracts for his cops, meaning that Carver’s perseverance on behalf of his PBA union finally paid off with welcome raises after his membership had endured a most painful and frustrating three-year wage freeze. The approval means that Nassau’s finest will see their paychecks increase 13 percent by the end of 2017. Having good news to share always puts a big smile on Carver’s mug. He’s a fierce defender of his members, pulling no punches when having to stand up for them in controversial cases or when he weighs in on some of the most brutal crimes his members risk their lives to protect the public from. Whether it’s getting his men and women in blue paid more for the jobs they do to keep the citizens safe or looking out for those who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, this hard-charging union head always has their back.