Crime & Safety
Northport Officer Honored for Keeping Drunk Driving off the Road
Suffolk County officials recognized the officers who arrested the highest number of DWI offenders last year.
UPDATED Friday at 2 p.m. with correct photo:
Suffolk County officials honored 23 police officers Tuesday who arrested the highest number of DWI offenders last year.
The ceremony, held at the Suffolk County Police Academy at Suffolk County Community College, honored one officer in each department, precinct and/or command who made the biggest difference in helping to reduce drunk driving and reckless vehicular behavior.
In the past three years, Suffolk County law enforcement agencies made over 15,000 DWI arrests.
“It is extremely important to us that motorists who are driving while intoxicated are stopped,” Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Executive said in a press release. “DWI tragedies don’t just affect those involved, they impact the families of victims as well. Suffolk County will not tolerate drunk driving on our roadways. We are committed to arresting anyone who chooses to drink and then get behind the wheel of a car, endangering the lives of others.”
Bellone, along with Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Timothy Sini and Suffolk County Stop DWI representatives honored the following police officers:
- SCPD 1st Pct— PO Weldon Drayton, Jr.
- SCPD 2nd Pct— PO Joshua Parsons
- SCPD 3rd Pct— PO Olivia McMahon
- SCPD 4th Pct— PO Douglas Nassisi
- SCPD 5th Pct— PO Christopher Weiner
- SCPD 6th Pct— PO Francesco Saracino
- SCPD 7th Pct— PO Kevin Csoka
- SCPD Highway Bureau— PO Harry Jos
- SCPD SAFE-T— PO Roger Kleber
- Northport PD— PO Michale Gigante
- Amity PD— PO Gerald Blee
- Westhampton Beach PD— PO Steven Mcmanus
- Quouge PD— PO Robert Hammel
- Southampton Village PD— PO Ashley Jones
- East Hampton Village PD— PO Steven Niggles
- Sag Harbor PD— Sgt. Thomas Pagano
- Riverhead PD— PO Timothy Murphy
- Southampton PD— PO Keith Phillips
- East Hampton PD— PO Vincent Rantinella
- Southold PD— PO Garrett Lake
- Shelter Island PD— PO Christopher Drake
- SC Sheriff's Office— Deputy Sheriff Brian Grazidei
- NYS Police— Trooper Ryan Delaney
According to the office of Bellone: “The Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated (STOP-DWI) program is designed to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related traffic fatalities and injuries in New York State. The program is supported by the fines collected from individuals convicted of alcohol-related traffic infractions. STOP-DWI will continue to work toward the reduction of drinking and driving in Suffolk through its support of increased enforcement, swift and certain prosecution, sound and cost effective rehabilitation, tough probation, and public information and education campaigns.”
Image via Office of Steve Bellone
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