Imagine zooming down a busy Long Island highway, dodging reckless drivers who speed, tailgate mercilessly, or swerve unpredictably through traffic—couldn't a stronger police presence make our roads safer and save countless lives? That's the heart of the debate we're diving into today. But here's where it gets controversial: is the enforcement of dangerous driving violations really sufficient on Long Island, or are we falling short in a way that puts communities at risk?
Over the course of his regular drives from Melville to Ronkonkoma, local resident Jeff Redelman has witnessed a troubling uptick in hazardous behaviors behind the wheel—speeding, close following, and erratic lane changes. Yet, he rarely spots officers intervening. 'There's never any enforcement,' he laments, contrasting this with the frequent police sightings during trips upstate to Binghamton to see his daughter. This personal anecdote underscores a broader concern: are we prioritizing road safety adequately?
Experts across the field concur that police action is crucial for traffic safety, but it's not a standalone solution. It must be paired with improved road infrastructure—like better-designed highways that account for pedestrian safety—along with comprehensive driver education and awareness campaigns. Without these elements working in harmony, even the best enforcement efforts might not fully curb accidents.
A deep-dive analysis by Newsday reveals a persistent gap in enforcement across New York. For years, Suffolk County police have issued far fewer tickets for dangerous driving behaviors compared to other regions, even when factoring in traffic volume—though their numbers are on the rise. Nassau County fares better in ticketing rates but hasn't bounced back completely from the COVID-19 pandemic, when statewide enforcement plummeted due to various challenges. To put this in perspective, in 2024, Suffolk's law enforcement agencies handed out roughly 94,000 safety-focused tickets—the highest since 2017—yet this equates to about 21% fewer than Nassau's figures relative to miles traveled, 32% below the Lower Hudson Valley (including Westchester and Rockland), and 22% less than upstate areas. Nassau, meanwhile, issued around 84,000 such tickets, outpacing Suffolk and matching upstate rates adjusted for traffic, but still 10% shy of their own 2019 levels.
These county-wide stats encompass tickets from town, village, and city police forces, plus state troopers, all compiled by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR). Direct comparisons between individual departments are tricky because statewide traffic data is aggregated at the county level, not broken down further. This means we can't always pinpoint why one town might ticket differently than another, highlighting a limitation in how we assess local efforts.
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, leading the county's largest department with about 2,500 officers patrolling five western towns, has ramped up traffic enforcement as a top priority since assuming his role earlier this year. He's boosted the highway patrol by 30% and emphasized to his team that excelling in this area can advance careers. 'When I arrived in Suffolk, safeguarding residents was my focus, and roadway safety immediately stood out—traffic fatalities often exceed homicides,' Catalina shared during a Newsday interview at the Yaphank headquarters.
Suffolk consistently ranks highest in the state for overall traffic deaths, though fatalities have dipped post-pandemic. However, total crashes have held steady, and severe injuries have climbed both locally and statewide. Catalina argues against direct comparisons with other areas, stressing that each region's roads and safety priorities are unique. 'We should measure Suffolk against Suffolk,' he insists, noting a more than one-third jump in year-to-date 2025 ticketing for speeding and aggressive driving compared to 2024. 'We're heading in the right direction,' he adds.
Catalina also highlights the department's Street Takeover Task Force, launched last year to combat street racing. Tragically, Task Force member Officer Brendon Gallagher suffered serious injuries in a January crash while pursuing a driver exceeding 100 mph in Brentwood. This real-life incident illustrates the dangers officers face in enforcing safety.
Christopher Mercado, a former NYPD lieutenant and current adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice—who once collaborated with Catalina—acknowledges regional differences but sees value in comparisons. 'In our data-focused, transparent policing era, municipalities can and should be benchmarked,' he says. 'Could Suffolk do more? Absolutely. Is Catalina the right leader? Absolutely.'
New York State Police Troop L Captain Timothy Gleason, overseeing about 150 troopers on parkways in Nassau and Suffolk, steers clear of comparisons, focusing instead on presence. 'It's not about the numbers—it's about visibility and being proactive on the roads,' he explains.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, in a statement, affirms that public safety is paramount. While he didn't address the post-pandemic ticketing lag, he stressed ongoing enforcement efforts and the need for motorists to cooperate for lasting change.
Newsday's methodology involved cross-referencing county ticket data with state transportation estimates derived from traffic sensors. These estimates aim for statewide accuracy but can be less precise for smaller areas or local roads, though they're standard in traffic research. The analysis targeted tickets for speeding, aggressive driving, impaired operation, phone use, and seatbelt violations, excluding less safety-critical issues like equipment faults or parking infractions. This broad approach accounts for variations—some places might have fewer aggressive driving tickets but more speeding ones, for example.
New York City was omitted due to unique reporting and exceptional traffic dynamics, despite its higher ticketing rates. Early 2025 data hints at Suffolk's progress, but it still trails the Lower Hudson Valley and state averages; ITSMR notes these are preliminary.
Columbia University public health professor Kacie Dragan, who advised New York City's Vision Zero initiative, praises Newsday's approach as sound.
And this is the part most people miss: Ticketing plays a pivotal role in road safety, but it's just one piece of a larger puzzle. As explored in Newsday's Dangerous Roads series, a comprehensive strategy includes safer road designs for vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists, enhanced driver training, and stricter laws—such as harsher penalties for refusing drug tests or fleeing hit-and-run scenes. Officers go beyond issuing tickets by educating at events and flagging hazardous spots for engineers to fix.
Gleason and Stuart Cameron, a former Suffolk police chief now leading Old Westbury's department, agree that ticketing deters bad behavior and removes risky drivers from the road. 'You never know what disaster you've averted with a single ticket,' Gleason notes, considering its ripple effects on drivers, passengers, and everyone else on the road.
University of Oregon economics professor Ben Hansen illustrates this with a real-world example: Oregon's 2003 budget cuts slashed state police by 30%, leading to a sharp drop in ticketing. Consequently, highway deaths and injuries surged, even after adjusting for weather and traffic shifts. His 2014 study calculated that $309,000 spent on police could prevent one fatality, proving enforcement fosters a culture of safe driving.
Dragan echoes this, citing Vision Zero's success in New York City from 2014 until the pandemic, when reduced ticketing correlated with rising injuries. 'Post-pandemic data and NYPD feedback point to enforcement dips as the key factor,' she explains.
But here's where it gets controversial: Over-enforcement can spark backlash. Mercado warns against it, noting that while quotas are illegal in New York and over two dozen states, informal pressure to meet targets has plagued departments nationwide, often for revenue. Suffolk faces accusations of racial profiling, settling a 2023 lawsuit by Latino residents for $3.75 million over harassment, and enduring federal oversight since 2014. A hired consultant concluded race doesn't significantly influence stops, though advocates dispute this. Catalina defends his team's fairness, backed by body-cam reviews and new data tools for targeted patrols.
Nationally, Hansen notes misconduct allegations often tie to minor pretexts like busted taillights, not core safety violations. 'Bias is a longstanding enforcement challenge,' he says. 'Yet, eliminating all policing would harm society by encouraging faster, riskier driving.'
Locally, Suffolk and Nassau rely on automated systems like red light and school bus cameras, generating hundreds of thousands of notices annually—far outpacing police tickets island-wide. These programs, absent from Newsday's analysis, focus on specific infractions at set spots and don't add license points, as they can't identify drivers. Cameron argues they're helpful but can't replace human interaction. 'Nothing beats a cop pulling you over for that personal lesson,' he says.
Boosting enforcement means investment. Long Island police ranks among the state's highest-paid, with Suffolk adding about 95 officers last year and proposing a budget hike from $647.9 million to $663.1 million in 2026. Grants fund overtime for DUI checks and commercial vehicle patrols. Catalina, who added 23 highway patrol officers this year (totaling 107 specialists), dreams of more resources. 'I'd love 20,000 officers, but we're excelling with what we've got,' he quips. He motivates officers by tying enforcement to promotions, like requiring DWI cases for investigative roles.
Mercado highlights traffic stops as high-risk for police, akin to mental health or domestic calls. Nassau hasn't explained its ticketing recovery lag despite an 8% force growth (from 2,360 to 2,560 officers from 2019-2024) and expansions in village departments.
Hansen's research confirms frequent ticketing reshapes habits. 'Consistency is key—people adapt to safer driving when stops are regular,' he emphasizes.
Mount Sinai resident April Acquila echoes community frustrations, pointing to speeders near her town's school on North Country Road. She calls for more crosswalks and sidewalks, but adds, 'If police patrolled more, they'd issue tons of speeding tickets and make a real difference.'
Newsday's Anastasia Valeeva contributed reporting.
By Peter Gill
What do you think—does Suffolk need to ramp up enforcement more aggressively, or could this lead to unfair targeting? Is comparing counties fair, or does it overlook local challenges? Share your views in the comments; let's discuss how we can balance safety with equity on our roads!
