(Pictured L. to R.) Chris Clayton, Special Counsel to the District Attorney and Division Chief of the Special Investigations Division, John Lorenzo, Town of Islip Councilman, Chris Imperato, President of Sayville Rotary and Long Island Coin and Ray Tierney, Suffolk County's District Attorney.
A Brown University Graduate, St. John’s Law School Graduate, and 27-year Prosecutor, District Attorney Ray Tierney came and spoke with The Sayville Rotarians about his initiatives. Gang and Gun Violence and the Opioid overdose crisis are top of mind in his office.
With a four (4) year look back on gun violence, 50% of the gun violence in Suffolk County happens within eighteen miles over nine (9) communities. Less than One percent of the populous does all of the gun violence crimes. There is the “Shot Spotters Initiative” now available in Suffolk County to keep people safe in their communities. Shot Spotter’s technology can detect gunshots in real-time. Its sophisticated sensors can detect, locate and alert law enforcement agencies in seconds which will take less time for first responders to get to a scene where gun violence is involved. Who could possibly not like this initiative? It was suggested that Politicians and Criminals themselves do not like accurate assessments like this in their county when it comes to accountability.
DA Tierney informed our members about the opioid overdose crisis, which unlike gun violence is diffuse. This deadly drug issue is spread-out all-over Suffolk County. In fact, in 2022 there were over four hundred opioid related deaths and thirty homicides. The issue for District Attorney Tierney is prosecuting individuals when we are lacking the laws to address the overdose crime. Just 2 mg can kill a person which is equivalent to the weight of a grain of rice. Prosecutors would need like eight ounces or more to hold someone on bail! Another drug on the scene is Tranq, or zombie drug. These slang names are for a large animal tranquilizer called xylazine. It is not against the law to use and therefore cannot be prosecuted. The narcotic laws in the books are quite archaic, says DA Tierney. The sophistication of chemists can now change the chemical components of these drugs from China, made and brought over from Mexico, ever so slightly to skirt the laws.
DA Tierney feels the solution is to get the federal government to get it into law, as NY State legislature takes too long. The solution needs to be out of the hands of politics and be given to experts in the field. Come January, DA Tierney is arranging a bus for family members and parents of those who lost their children to the opioid crisis to go to Albany to challenge the laws that do not promote public safety.