By Hank Russell
Cover credit – Office of Ed Romaine
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) joined members of the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) and local elected officials at a press conference at SCPD headquarters in Yaphank on November 20 for a press conference announcing that a new Anti-Street Takeover Task Force has been established to crack down on illegal street takeovers. He also announced that more patrols will be out in force to stop theft, hate crimes and aggressive and impaired driving.
“We want to keep everyone safe this holiday season,” Romaine said.
The big news was the takedown of an illegal street takeover that took place on the night of November 16 at the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station parking lot in Ronkonkoma involving more than forty vehicles. At the press conference, there was a pickup truck that was impounded by the task force.
“You had drivers doing donuts with forty [other drivers] watching,” Romaine said. “The Task Force moved in; the entrances were blocked in.”
There is legislation being introduced that would increase penalties for those involved in street takeovers and other forms of aggressive driving, according to the County Executive. “There’s a price to be paid for those who don’t obey the law and endanger others.”
According to Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring, the task force broke up seven takeovers since November 8, issuing 263 summonses and impounding four vehicles. The officers, he said, “will be spending time away from their families to keep people safe.”
Waring said street takeovers are not exclusive to Suffolk. “It’s actually a worldwide thing. I’ve seen it. It’s social media-driven and it’s a problem.”
Waring said its intelligence section is aggressively monitoring any possible street racing or takeovers and work with Nassau County and New York State police, as well as the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. “This model [of collaboration] will be very successful,” he said. “We are implementing everything we can to stop this.”
Romaine also announced that there will be a greater police presence at shopping malls and local downtowns. Suffolk’s Chief of Patrol, Gerard Hardy, offered the following advice.
“It’s very simple: Don’t leave personal belongings in your car, lock doors and be aware of your surroundings,” Hardy said. “Situational awareness is a big thing. So, if you just know where you’re at all times. If you carry a purse, make sure it’s protected.”
In addition, Romaine said police will be on the lookout for “porch pirates” who steal packages from in front of people’s homes. “If you go after the smaller things, the larger things usually don’t happen. … If you try to rip people off, we’re going to catch you.”
Police will also look after houses of worship this holiday season, especially synagogues. Romaine said the Criminal Intelligence Unit will be monitoring possible hate crimes. “We’re just typically watching synagogues more because of what’s happening in the Middle East because it somehow spills over into this country,” he said. “People who are very foolish decide to carry these [acts of hate] in this country. We hope that’s not the case.”
Most of the press conference focused on the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, aggressive driving and distracted driving. The latter two, Hardy said, “are two areas that cause crashes [that] lead to property damage, injuries to our citizens, and, unfortunately, deaths. … Our roadways are not always the safest place to be [sometimes].”
For those who wish to go out drinking, Hardy warned those who think about getting behind the wheel.
“This is a conscious choice. This is an easy choice to make. If you’re going to go out, if you’re going to celebrate with your family and friends, we want you to make the smart decision. Have a plan that involves a designated driver or…a rideshare, which is almost impossible to not get home safely and to not cause accidents on the roadways.”
“We have a clear message: Not in Suffolk!” Romaine said. “We want this to be a community where safety comes first for our law-abiding citizens. For those who don’t abide by the law, we’re going to make sure that there are consequences.”
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
