Traffic Safety Committee Minutes - November 18, 2025

• Meeting Called to Order: 11: A.M.
• Roll Call:  Deputy Chief David Regina, Suffolk County PD, Director of Public Safety Richard Tantalo, Monroe County, Chief Kenzie Spaulding, Corning PD, Chief William Worden, Port Jervis PD, Commissioner Kenneth Jackson, Garden City PD, Chief Charles Dobson, Lake Placid PD, Chief (ret.) Daniel Denz, West Seneca PD (NYSACOP Traffic Safety Services Coordinator), Chief (ret.) Michael Geraci, Schenectady PD (NYSACOP TSOL), Director, Training & Administration (ret.) Frank Galerie, NYS Attorney General’s Office (NYSACOP GTSC LEL), Assistant Chief (ret.) William Georges, Albany PD (NYSACOP TSOL & TSC Chairman)
  
  Leave of Absence: Chief (ret.) Joseph Sinagra, Saugerties PD
  
  Chairman Georges welcomed Chief Dobson as the newest member of the TSC and congratulated him on also being appointed as the zone representative for the recently created NYSACOP Zone 11.
   
• Guests: No guests this meeting

• Approval of September 25, 2025 Committee Meeting Minutes:

1st:      Chief Worden
2nd:    Commissioner Jackson

• Old Business/Updates:
  • NYS TAP Committee/DRE Issues:

NYSACOP GTSC LEL Galerie reported the following from his attendance at the DRE TAP meeting held in Lake Placid on November 4, 2025:

Certified DRE's

• There are currently 392 Certified DREs. This number is down from last year’s number of 432.
• 2024 had a large number of failures on the recertification test. Those who failed the written test were given the opportunity to participate in an oral test. Most showed up unprepared and were unsuccessful.
   

DRE Training and Recertification

• A DRE recertification test is being held on November 5, 2025, in Lake Placid.
• Eight (8) recertification tests are scheduled for 2026.

The following DRE classes have been scheduled for 2025-26:

• Suffolk Co. Dec. 12-23-25.    Field Certs: Feb. 1-8
• Cheektowaga: Mar. 2-13-26    Field Certs: Mar-22-29
• Oriskany: Oct. 5-16-26    Field Certs: Oct. 25 – Nov. 1
   

Rate of Refusal

• The rate of refusal at roadside is high.
• Officers are talking the offenders out of providing the sample.
  • DREs are still getting reimbursement.
  • Rolling Logs are being submitted w/o toxicology stats.
  • CVs are deficient.
     

Oral Fluid

• Agencies wishing to use Oral Fluid at Roadside can make a request for the instrument to Renee Borden via email (renee.borden@dmv.ny.gov)
  • Renee will send out the Best Practices for Use and Policies.
  • Every submission will have a barcode to track the use.
  • Agencies must document if a DRE was called and if one responded or rejected the call.
     

Recognizing the Cannabis Impaired Motorist (RCIM)

• There is concern that the information in the RCIM training is not up-to-date and that the SFSTs used in the RCIM are not evaluated to ensure they are being performed properly.
  • RCIM may be discontinued.
  • ARIDE will be emphasized.
     

Courtroom Testimony

• There is a dire need for courtroom testimony training and it was agreed that the TSRPs should be involved in both developing and providing the training.
   

• Warning Tickets:

Chairman Georges updated the TSC members on the status of the project and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

• E-Bikes, Ride Outs, Dirt Bikes & ATVs

Chairman Georges relayed that there was a session on e-bikes presented by the NYS Bicycle Coalition at the recent NYS Highway Safety Symposium.

Chairman Georges informed the TSC members that tentatively we will be sponsoring a traffic safety session at the NYSACOP Annual Conference in May with a primary focus on e-bikes and that Deputy Chief Regina has volunteered to present at the session.

Commissioner Jackson reported on a recent e-bike training hosted in Nassau County. He also reported that enforcement and impoundments have significantly increased since the passing of a new e-bike ordinance in Nassau County.

Deputy Chief Regina reported that Suffolk County is currently in the process of drafting legislation to allow law enforcement to seize e-bikes operated by juveniles. He further stated that e-mobility crashes are up, while ride-outs and street take-overs are down.

• Deadly Driving Bill:

Nothing to report.

• NHTSA/JHU National LEL Academy Project:

Chairman Georges updated the TSC members on the status of the project.

• Cheektowaga PD Traffic Safety Services Review:

Chairman Georges reported on the Traffic Safety Team’s visit to CPD on October 28 and 29, 2025.

• Traffic Safety Engagement and Crash Data Review:

Chairman Georges informed the TSC of the upcoming High Visibility Engagement Campaign (Impaired Driving; STOP–DWI funding only) targeting the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, 11/26/25 – 11/30/25.

Director Tantalo reported that 4 additional school districts in Monroe County have entered into the region’s school bus traffic safety and enforcement initiative. This brings the total to 7 school districts, all using Bus Patrol cameras to enhance enforcement measures.

NYSACOP GTSC LEL Galerie reported that 2 NYSP troopers were struck by a vehicle and injured while conducting a roadside engagement in Columbia County. The driver of the vehicle which crashed into them was deceased at the scene.

• Outreach to Regional Chiefs of Police Associations: 

TSSC Denz reported that he attended the Erie County Chiefs regional meeting on November 12th and is scheduled to attend the NE Chiefs regional meeting on December 10th as well as the WNY Chiefs regional meeting December 18th.

• GTSC Update/Issues: 

Nothing to report.

• New York State Highway Safety Symposium, Lake Ontario Event & Conference Center, Oswego, N.Y., October 14-17, 2025:

Chairman Georges reviewed the Symposium and discussed the success of the NYSACOP Traffic Safety Team’s presentation.

• IACP Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado, October 18-21, 2025:

Chairman Georges relayed that there were no traffic safety sessions offered at the IACP Annual Conference other that the IACP Roadway Safety Committee meeting. He reported on the presentation delivered by PERF at the Committee meeting and was pleased to see that the NYSACOP Traffic Safety Committee and Team are on, or ahead, of the best practices standards included in the presentation.

• NYSACOP – NYSSA Leadership Summit, Albany Marriott Hotel, November 13-14, 2025:

Chairman Georges reported on this event

• Other:

Director Tantalo reported on the “Lights on for Christmas” program in Monroe County to recognize victims of impaired drivers. He also stated that the annual meeting of the Monroe County Victim Impact Panel will be held on December 18, 2025.

• Upcoming Events:
  • NYSACOP Zone 6 Points of Contact Meeting, Albany Marriott Hotel, December 11, 2025:

Chairman Georges informed the TSC of the planned meeting.

• New Business:
  • Outreach to NYSACOP Major City Chiefs:

Chairman Georges reported that the NYSACOP Major Chiefs Committee has not met for a while and discussed exploring the possibility of creating a Major City Chiefs Traffic Safety Sub-Committee. There was discussion as to which agencies should comprise the sub-committee and how to create it.

Chairman Georges stated he would continue to examine the possibility and tabled the topic for further discussion.

• Traffic Safety Activities and Training Courses:

Chairman Georges reviewed the currently posted Traffic Safety Trainings.

• Other:

Deputy Chief Regina reported that he is currently in the process of gaining a certification from Below 100 to become a Train the Trainer Instructor. He also stated that he received information that the City of Rochester PD does not have a mandatory seatbelt policy and the agency in fact discourages the same.

Director Tantalo stated he was unaware of that, will investigate, and report back.

• Follow-up Activities/Assignments:
  • TSC Meetings with Traffic Safety Partners/Guests:

Chairman Georges discussed the possibility of asking the TSRPs to be guests at a future meeting.

• Topics for “Intersections” , podcasts, etc., including guest contributors:

Chairman Georges reported that he submitted a short article for the December 2025 edition of The Chiefs Chronicle and encouraged the TSC members to consider submitting, or having members of their staff submit, an article for future editions.

• Other:

Nothing to report.

• Next Meeting:

• Motion to Adjourn:

1st:     Chief Spaulding
2nd:  Director Tantalo