Suffolk County officials announced an aggressive summer crackdown on drunken and drug-impaired driving, warning motorists that under certain circumstances the county can confiscate and even crush vehicles seized in DWI-related cases.
Standing beside a confiscated BMW that was later crushed by Gershow Recycling during a live demonstration, County Executive Ed Romaine, Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina and Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode outlined expanded patrols, new drug-detection technology and stepped-up prosecutions aimed at removing impaired drivers from Suffolk roads and waterways during what prosecutors call the “100 deadliest days of summer” between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“We’re all here to emphasize a message that we talk about time and time again — do not drink and drive. Do not take drugs and drive,” Romaine said. “If you get behind the wheel and we catch you … we’re going to take your car.”
Pointing to the BMW parked behind the podium, Romaine added: “You’re going to watch your car get crushed.”
Catalina said the Suffolk County Police Department is increasing enforcement across the county during the busy summer season. The department recently added nine Marine Bureau officers and plans to add nine more to patrol Long Island waterways. Police are also expanding the North Shore Delta patrol unit to 24-hour operations for the summer and assigning five additional officers to highway patrol teams focused on impaired and aggressive drivers.
“This is a zero-tolerance approach,” Catalina said. “If you’re driving impaired, whether you’re impaired by alcohol or by drugs, plan on heading off in the back of one of our police cars.”
Catalina also announced the deployment of new Sotoxa saliva-testing devices that can detect the presence of drugs, including cannabis, in drivers suspected of impairment.
Bode warned drivers that even a first arrest can bring steep financial penalties.
“Even if you are lucky enough just to get caught before you hurt yourself, you’re looking to spend $15,000,” Bode said. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Founded in 1964, Gershow Recycling is a metal recycling company that operates nine facilities across Long Island and Brooklyn, employing more than 750 workers.