Putnam County law enforcement agencies and the county Probation Department have launched a summer enforcement initiative targeting convicted drunk drivers who violate New York’s ignition interlock requirements.
The program, funded through the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and developed by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, focuses on drivers who operate vehicles without required ignition interlock devices, tamper with the devices or attempt to circumvent them. Enforcement activities began this month and will continue through Labor Day.
Putnam County is one of only three counties selected this year to receive grant funding for the initiative, along with Jefferson and Oswego counties.
Participating agencies include the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, Carmel Police Department, and Kent Police Department. The grant will provide up to $35,000 in overtime funding for targeted enforcement efforts.
County Executive Kevin Byrne said the funding will help strengthen existing partnerships among county criminal justice agencies and local police departments while supporting efforts to remove impaired drivers from local roads.
Sheriff Brian Hess said ignition interlock devices are a key component of New York’s efforts to prevent repeat drunken-driving offenses.
“Leandra’s Law was enacted to protect the public from repeat drunk driving offenders, and ignition interlock devices are a critical tool in that effort,” Hess said. “This enhanced enforcement initiative sends a clear message that individuals who attempt to circumvent the law or drive without a required interlock device will be held accountable.”
Ignition interlock devices require drivers to provide a breath sample before starting a vehicle. If alcohol is detected, the vehicle will not start.
Under New York’s Leandra’s Law, judges must order anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or felony DWI offense to install and maintain an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they own or operate for at least six months. The law also makes it illegal to tamper with or bypass an interlock device.
The law, which took effect in December 2009, is named for 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed in a drunk-driving crash on the Henry Hudson Parkway in New York City. It also made it a felony to drive while intoxicated with a child younger than 16 in the vehicle.
Officials said compliance with the law remains a challenge statewide. Since 2010, courts have issued more than 213,000 ignition interlock orders, but only about 26 percent of offenders install a device within the first three months of sentencing. Another 15 percent install devices later in their sentence, leaving a substantial number of offenders who fail to comply with court-ordered requirements.
Even drivers who no longer own a vehicle and therefore are not required to install a device remain prohibited from operating any vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock device if the restriction appears on their driver’s license.
Michael C. Green, executive deputy commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, said the initiative is designed to improve compliance and enhance public safety.
“The ultimate goal of this program is to keep drunk drivers off our roadways,” Green said. “These interlock devices are a necessary safeguard against a dangerous and often deadly behavior.”
To prepare for the initiative, representatives from the Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office and participating police agencies completed specialized training in April on enforcement of Leandra’s Law and recent amendments to the statute.
State officials said the program is intended to increase accountability for convicted impaired drivers while reducing the risk they pose to other motorists.
Article courtesy of the County Executive’s Office
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