Suffolk Officials Honor ‘Top Cops’

Twenty Three Officers Honored for Making the Most DWI Arrests in 2015 Suffolk Police Officer Joshua Parsons & Northport Police Officer Michale Gigante Among the Honorees

Suffolk County Executive Bellone, Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Timothy Sini and Suffolk County Stop DWI representatives honored 23 police officers, including Suffolk County Police Officer Joshua Parsons, for leading the department’s initiative to reduce drunk driving and reckless vehicular behavior.

The ceremony, held at the Suffolk County Police Academy at Suffolk County Community College, honored law enforcement agents who made the biggest difference in their respective communities in 2015.  Each department, precinct and/or command nominated an officer among their ranks who arrested the highest number of DWI offenders last year.

“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 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.”

 

Suffolk County law enforcement agencies made over 15,000 DWI arrests in the past 3 years.

 

The following officers were recognized as STOP-DWI top cop awardees:

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

 

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.