Nassau County - Long Island, New York

Mangano Announces Increased DWI Patrols On Nassau Roads For Thanksgiving Weekend

Crackdown on Drunk Driving Begins on “Black Wednesday” Mangano announced increased DWI patrols for Thanksgiving

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and Acting Nassau County Police Commissioner Tom Krumpter announced today that this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Nassau County Police Department will participate in a “STOP-DWI” program that will allocate additional police officers to conduct an extensive DWI enforcement initiative. The County Executive was joined by Tom McCoy from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Marge Lee of DEDICATEDD, Brian Rosenberg of Restaurants Against Drunk Driving (RADD) and Larry Blessinger, owner of All Island Transportation.

“The night before Thanksgiving is typically one of the biggest bar nights of the year. Nassau County will be targeting drunk drivers and looking to prevent the kind of senseless alcohol-related accidents that often occur during such a holiday weekend. There will be additional police patrols throughout the County and chances are if you drive drunk at any point this weekend, you will be arrested,” said County Executive Mangano.

The “STOP DWI” program is funded by DWI fines collected in Nassau County and will provide the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) and police departments throughout the county with additional funding that will be utilized to implement an effective DWI saturation enforcement strategy that has proven very successful in years past. The NCPD’s Highway Patrol Bureau will coordinate and plan this initiative that will target certain areas throughout the county. There were 98 DWI arrests in Nassau County over last year’s Thanksgiving weekend, and in 2009 there were 71 DWI arrests countywide during the same time period.

“Acting Police Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter stated, “This campaign is intended to identify and apprehend alcohol impaired drivers. Police patrols will demonstrate zero tolerance for individuals who are driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Our aim will be to make the roadways safe for holiday drivers and our targets will be those who disregard the law.”

County Executive Mangano and Acting Commissioner Krumpter remind everyone:

  • If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.
  • Take mass transit, a cab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home
  • Spend the night where the activity is being held.
  • Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against a drunk driver.

“It has been no secret that Nassau County is tough on drunk drivers,” said County Executive Mangano. “We have added 500 additional hours of DWI patrols here in Nassau and our Probation Office is currently ensuring that 900 DWI offenders here have interlock devices in their vehicles. Over last year’s Thanksgiving weekend, there were 98 DWI arrests in Nassau County. I want everyone to enjoy the holiday and the long weekend, but also to also make responsible and smart decisions during their celebrations. Please ‘think before you drink’ this weekend.”