19 arrests during July Fourth holiday crackdown on drunken and drug impaired drivers on Long Island

Law enforcement officers on Long Island are cracking down on drug impaired and drunken driving during a Fourth of July weekend that’s expected to attract a record number of drivers.

At least 19 arrests were made across Suffolk and Nassau since Friday night as officers locally and across the state fanned out to target reckless drivers during a busy travel period that ends Wednesday.

Checkpoints were scattered across both counties with the intention of catching motorists flouting the law.

Police from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Highway Patrol Bureau along with New York State Police troopers and Suffolk County deputy sheriffs made three arrests in less than three hours at a checkpoint in Port Jefferson from 11:40 p.m. Friday until 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Suffolk County police said. More than 400 vehicles drove through the checkpoint set up on the corner of Route 112, at Hallock Avenue, Suffolk police said. 

The three arrested include residents from Coram, Farmingdale and Mount Sinai.

As part of their beefed-up enforcement, Nassau County police made seven DWI arrests Friday night, according to Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun, spokesman for Nassau police. 

“Nassau Police will continue with their zero tolerance approach to arrest alcohol and drug impaired drivers to keep our roadways safe,” Lebrun said in an email. 

In addition to stepped-up patrols, New York State Police troopers were stationed at two locations on the Southern State Parkway, according to Daniel Ahlgrim, state police spokesman. Since Friday night, New York State Police made nine DWI and drug impaired arrests on Long Island, according to Ahlgrim.

As part of the statewide initiative to clamp down on drunk, impaired and reckless driving, New York State troopers are using both marked vehicles and concealed identity traffic enforcement vehicles. The unmarked vehicles have emergency lighting that, when activated, distinguishes them as law enforcement.

During last year's statewide three-day Independence Day enforcement period, state troopers investigated 775 crashes, including two deaths, while issuing 11,873 tickets, and making 187 DWI arrests, according to a release.

Some agencies plan to continue to target impaired and drunken drivers beyond this holiday.

A STOP DWI campaign announced by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s office aims to increase summer patrols from Huntington to the Hamptons amid a record number of such arrests for the first six months of this year. The Suffolk County Sheriff's office made 84 DWI arrests as of June this year, compared to 51 during the same period last year, according to Vicki DiStefano, a spokesperson with the agency.

Law enforcement officials advised revelers to have a plan in place before getting behind the wheel, including designating a sober driver and, if impaired, calling a taxi or friend, or using public transit. New Yorkers can also download the "Have a Plan" mobile app, which helps locate and call a taxi or ride-share service.

Officials warned that drunk and drugged drivers stand to lose their license when caught.