Don’t drink and drive. Or chances are pretty good Riverhead Police Officer Tim Murphy will haul you in.
The Riverhead Town cop has had more DWI arrests in Riverhead than any other officer on the local police force every year since he joined the department in 1999, according to Chief David Hegermiller. In fact, he’s had the most DWI arrests in the entire county four out of the last five years. (He missed the honor by just one arrest in 2009.)
In Y2K, Officer Murphy singlehandedly notched more DWI arrests than the entire Suffolk County Highway Patrol.
Murphy was feted Tuesday — again — at a ceremony in Hauppauge conducted by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer. His 86 DWI arrests in 2010 ranked him number one in the county.
Murphy was also honored at an awards ceremony in November by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Stop DWI of New York.
Twenty-four other officers from Suffolk County, town and village departments, as well as the parks police, state police and sheriff’s office, were also honored yesterday for having the most DWI arrests in their precincts/departments.
Suffolk County Police Department honorees:
First Precinct Police Officer Derrick Hall
Second Precinct Police Officers James Berby and Ruboert Lubanski
Third Precinct Police Officer Ari Hirsch
Fourth Precinct Police Officer Douglas Nassisi
Fifth Precinct Police Officer Timothy Vicinanza
Sixth Precinct Police Officer John Bokinz
Seventh Precinct Police Officer Brandon Neal
Patrol Special Operations Team Officer Jeffrey Pitkewicz
SAFE-T (Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement Team) Officer Robert Mudzinski
Officers from 14 other agencies were also honored:
Amityville Village Police Officer David Smith
Northport Village Police Officer Alan Bakker
Quogue Village Police Officer John Galvin
Sag Harbor Village Police Officer Thomas Pagano
Southampton Village Police Officer Ashley Jones
Westhampton Beach Village Police Officer Steven McManus
East Hampton Town Police Officer Vincent Rantinella
Town of Shelter Island Police Officer Christopher Drake
Town of Southampton Police Officer Joseph D’Arce
Town of Southold Police Officer Steven Zuhoski
Suffolk County Parks Police Officer Gregory Sandbichler
New York State Parks Police Officer Justin Puckett
New York State Trooper Michael Mangano
Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Robert Rilling
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