The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office S.P.I.D.R.E. Team has earned statewide recognition for its relentless efforts to keep impaired drivers off local roadways, with the elite enforcement unit receiving the Impaired Driving Enforcement Unit Recognition Award from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Adding to the celebration, Deputy Damian Adams was honored with First Place as New York State’s Top Arresting Officer, recognizing his outstanding work in identifying and removing intoxicated drivers from Suffolk County streets.
Sheriff’s officials said the awards highlight the dedication, professionalism and vigilance demonstrated daily by members of the S.P.I.D.R.E. Team, formally known as the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Proactive Impaired Driver Reduction Effort Team.
The highly trained deputies patrol Suffolk County roadways looking for signs of impaired driving, including reckless lane changes, speeding, swerving and other dangerous behavior that can lead to serious crashes or fatalities. Officials said the unit’s mission is focused on preventing tragedies before they happen.
“These honors are a true reflection of the dedication and commitment this unit brings every single day,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Thank you for keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.”
The S.P.I.D.R.E. Team operates within the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Bureau, which also oversees investigative services, task force personnel, homeland security, emergency management, tactical operations, the Marine Unit, K9 Unit, Asset Forfeiture and Air Support.
Sheriff’s officials noted that impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of preventable crashes and fatalities across New York State, making proactive enforcement critical to public safety.
The unit regularly conducts nighttime patrols and sobriety enforcement operations throughout Suffolk County, particularly during holidays and weekends when alcohol-related crashes tend to increase.
Officials said Deputy Adams and the S.P.I.D.R.E. Team exemplify the Sheriff’s Office commitment to aggressive DWI enforcement and protecting families traveling on Suffolk County roadways every day and night.