Brentwood, NY - April 23, 2014 - Today, County Executive Bellone, Chief Burke and Suffolk County Stop DWI representatives honored twenty-three Police Officers for making the most DWI arrests in Suffolk County. The prestigious ceremony, held at the Suffolk County Police Academy, honored all the officers and awarded one officer with the Top Cop award after making 118 arrests this year. This year the Top Cop honor was bestowed upon Timothy Murphy of the Riverhead Police Department.
“It is extremely important to us that motorists who are driving while intoxicated are stopped,” said Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Executive. “DWI tragedies don’t just affect those involved, they impact the families of victims as well.”
Suffolk County police agencies made over 5692 arrests in 2013 and more than 15,000 DWI arrests in the past 3 years.
In 2013, 51 people were killed in Suffolk County by the reckless behavior of drunk drivers as compared to 47 the previous year. Although, DWI fatalities have declined by 56% since 1979, Suffolk County recognizes that many challenges remain and will continue to be vigilant.
“Suffolk County will not tolerate drunk driving on our roadways, stated County Executive Bellone “We remain committed to arresting anyone who chooses to drink and then get behind the wheel of a car, endangering the lives of others.”
The following officers were honored today:
Village of Amityville Joseph Slack
Village of East Hampton Steven Niggles
Village of Northport Micheael Gigante
Village of Quogue John Galvin
Village of Southampton Sashley Jones
Village of Westhampton Steven McManus
Town of East Hampton Vincent Rantinella
Town of Riverhead Timothy Murphy
Town of Shelter Island Christopher Drake
Town of Southampton Carl Schottenhamel
Town of Southold Rory Flatley
New York State Michael P. Grosso
Suffolk County Parks Greg Sandbichler
Suffolk County Sheriff Brian Rasiak
SCPD 1st Precinct David Leath
SCPD 2nd Precinct Harry Jos
SCPD 3rd Precinct Chris Anskat
SCPD 4th Precinct Doug Nassisi
SCPD 5th Precinct Jamie Bustamante
SCPD 6th Precinct Anthony Legotti
SCPD 7th Precinct Brandon Neal
SCPD Highway Patrol William Murray
SCPD SAFE-T Team Roger Kleber
The Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated (STOP-DWI) is a comprehensive program specifically 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.
Photo: (L-r: Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Riverhead Police Officer Timothy Murphy and Chief David J. Hegermiller)
