Don’t start speeding, State and Counties agree on a deal

One month ago, Nassau and Suffolk County Executives announced their plans to stop patroling the Long Island Expressway, Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway and Sunrise Highway; all are major state-owned roadways.

Today, May 1, was the deadline for a 25% county highway police patrol reduction on these state-owned rodas. Reports are that a deal, not finalized, has been made between the State and Nassau and Suffolk Counties. No reduction in county police patroling will occur until the deal is set.

Both Executive Tom Suozzi and Executive Steve Levy said that this was in response to budget cuts from Albany. For 20 years county resources have been used to patrol state-owned roads. New York State Troopers currently patrol all major state-owned roads excluding those in Long Island and New York City.

Nassau County Police Highway Patrol has 8 cars which are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are 62 officers and supervisors are assigned to the LIE and SOB Expressway.

Suffolk County Police Highway Patrol has 61 officers assigned to the LIE and Sunrise Highway.

Each county spends approximately $12 million annually to patrol state highways in the county.