Can Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs Pull Over Vehicles & Give Tickets?

Yes, Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs can and do make traffic stops and issue citations for violations of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. The jurisdiction of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office covers the entirety of Suffolk County, from the Nassau border all the way to the end of the twin forks. Deputies make traffic stops throughout Suffolk County for offenses including speeding, reckless driving, and driving while intoxicated.

In fact, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has a dedicated DWI enforcement Team. The S.P.I.D.R.E. Team (Sheriff’s Proactive Impaired Driving Reduction Enforcement) patrols the county’s roads every day. They are on the lookout for unsafe driving, especially the types of mistakes that intoxicated drivers make while they are behind the wheel. These highly trained Deputies have been certified as drug recognition experts, capable of conducting a thorough assessment of what might be impairing a person’s driving.

This past summer, the Sheriff’s Office undertook Operation HEAT, which aimed to ramp up already increased efforts that included the highest number of DWI patrols and arrests in recent Sheriff’s Office history. All summer long the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office increased DWI patrols and checkpoints, from Huntington to the Hamptons, to keep roadways safe during one of the deadliest times of the year.

Operation HEAT was a success, resulting in 62 DWI arrests, compared to 40 during the same period in 2022. Included in this year’s enhanced DWI enforcement arrests were 10 aggravated DWI charges (the defendant had a BAC of 0.18 or higher), nine arrests with prior DWI arrests, and one Leandra’s Law arrest.

As Suffolk County’s Sheriff, public safety is my top priority. I am proud of the hard work my Deputies do day and night to keep Suffolk County residents safe. I urge you to do your part as well. If you have been drinking or think you might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, don’t drive. Call a taxi, get a ride from a designated driver, or stay put until the effects wear off.

I want to ensure that all of Suffolk County’s residents to be safe on our county’s roads.

If you have a question about the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, please email me at suffolk_sheriff@suffolkcountyny.gov.