Romaine, SCPD and school officials announce ‘Operation Safe Stop’ initiative
Updated: 8 minutes ago
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine was joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, Suffolk County Legislators, school district officials and members of Suffolk County’s New York Association of Pupil Transportation Committee to announce the County’s participation in Operation Safe Stop, a region-wide initiative to increase enforcement and to further educate the public.
“Suffolk County has taken a comprehensive approach in the last few years to make our roads safer and to reduce reckless driving,” said County Executive Ed Romaine. “Operation Safe Stop is a necessary tool to ensure motorists understand the rules of the road and stop for flashing red lights. By partnering with law enforcement and our school districts, we are keeping our students safe.”
“The safety of our students is our priority, and we have to make sure they can get to school and return home safely,” said Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “This week serves as a reminder that we are going to be out there on the roads, and this will be a zero-tolerance effort by the department.”
New York State vehicular traffic law states it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus when the red lights on the bus are flashing; flashing lights mean the bus is picking up or discharging students.
Penalties for passing a stopped school bus vary based on the following, with possible imprisonment based on the severity of the offense(s):
First conviction: $250-$400 fine
Second conviction (within 3 years): $600-750 fine
Third or subsequent convictions (within 3 years): $750-$1,000 fine
According to the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, the Suffolk County School Bus Safety program issued approximately 83,000 citations for vehicles illegally passing school buses in 2024 and more than 73,000 citations in 2025.
According to statewide statistics, an estimated 50,000 motor vehicles illegally pass school buses in New York State every day.
The effort is being incorporated into National School Bus Safety Week, which takes place from October 19-23.
Dr. Patrick Harrigan, Patchogue-Medford School District Superintendent of Schools, said: “Every day, our school buses travel throughout our communities. We rely on our dedicated bus drivers and transportation staff to keep them safe, but that responsibility extends to every motorist that we share the road with. No appointment, no meeting, no destination is more important than the life of a child. As a school community, we continue to educate, raise awareness, and hold ourselves accountable for protecting our children. Together, we can make our roads safer for kids, not just today, but every day.”
Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne said: “The message today is to slow down and stop at these school buses. At the end of the day, as a father of a six- and a nine-year-old, I never want to get that call that a tragedy or an incident took place. The goal is to make sure all of our students make it to school safely and get home safely. “
Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi said: “I want to remind the drivers out there that the reason we have these laws is that young children and teenagers are not as developmentally mature to spot dangers and traffic, or to be able to judge distance and speed. So it is critical that we abide by these rules.”
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