Officers Recognized for Stop DWI efforts

The Seneca County STOP Committee held its annual awards banquet at the Gould Hotel on 02‐20‐2014. The awardsbanquet is to recognize the efforts of police, prosecutors and the probation department for work they performed during2013. Seneca County Undersheriff and STOP‐DWI Coordinator Gary Sullivan recognized the following officers for leadingtheir departments in DWI related arrests:Deputy Jason Lanphear and Sergeant Rick Reed – Seneca County Sheriff’s OfficePatrolman James Chechak – Waterloo Police DepartmentPatrolman Daniel Jacobsen – Seneca Falls Police DepartmentOfficer J.R. Stekl – NYS Park PoliceTrooper J.J. Grizzanti – New York State PoliceChief Leon Anderson – Interlaken Police DepartmentSullivan reported that police in Seneca County made 183 DWI related arrests in 2013, as compared to 179 arrests in2012. Sullivan also recognized Seneca County District Attorney Barry Porsch and his office for once again being rankedin the top five prosecutor’s office in the State of New York for DWI related convictions. Not only are the police arrestingDWI offenders, but, the District Attorney’s Office ensures offenders are paying the price with their firm stance andwinning convictionsSTOP‐DWI Coordinator Sullivan also reported that during 2013, the One Second Everything Changes exhibit was set up atthe County Fair and area High Schools, and a mock DWI crash was conducted at South Seneca High School for graduatingseniors. Sullivan also credited the Seneca County Probation Department for supervising DWI offenders and monitoringover 125 current ignition interlock cases. Over 130 offenders attended one of four Victim Impact Panels held during2013 in which offenders are brought face to face with victims of DWI accidents.The message is simple “If you drink and drive in Seneca County, we will see you before you see us. Our multifacetedapproach; police, prosecutors and probation are all working together to get drunk drivers off our roads. We have beenawarded a special grant from the Governors Traffic Safety Committee for 2014 which allows us to conduct even moretargeted patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the year” said Sullivan.