Intro. Res. No. 2049-2008                                                                      Laid on Table 11/18/2008

Introduced by Legislators Horsley, Romaine, Schneiderman, Alden, Nowick, Gregory, Browning, Lindsay, Eddington, Beedenbender, Stern and Cooper

 

RESOLUTION NO.     1122      -2008, ESTABLISHING THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DRUG MAPPING INDEX (SDMI), AND A COUNTY WIDE HEROIN ACTIVITY ALERT PROGRAM (NATALIE’S LAW)

 

                        WHEREAS, there has been an increase in heroin use in Suffolk County, including the explosion of “brown heroin” or “snortable heroin”, particularly among teenagers and young adults, that threatens the public safety, health and very lives of all concerned; and

 

                        WHEREAS, nationwide, heroin use among high school students is a particular problem, with nearly two percent (2%) of high school seniors in the United States using the drug at least once, while in the greater Long Island region there has been a recent surge in “snortable,” “brown,” or “black tar” heroin; and

 

                        WHEREAS, Suffolk County reported 312 heroin overdoses last year, up from 151 in 2000, a 106% increase; in Nassau County overdoses have risen by twenty-two percent (22%) in the same time period, while arrests for heroin possession in Nassau have risen by fifty percent (50%); and

 

                        WHEREAS, the Suffolk County Police Department recently reported the seizure of about 10,000 packets of heroin – worth about $250,000 on the street – and $125,000 in associated cash; and

 

WHEREAS, it is imperative that Suffolk County eradicate the distribution of heroin, in all its forms, into our neighborhoods; and

 

                        WHEREAS, the dissemination of information regarding arrests within the County for possession and sale of heroin will provide parents, schools, and the wider community with a valuable resource to help prevent our County’s youth from falling prey to this deadly drug; now, therefore be it 

 

1st                     RESOLVED, that the Suffolk County Police Department and the Department of Information Technology are hereby authorized, empowered and directed to work cooperatively to establish and implement a Suffolk County Drug Mapping Index (“SDMI”) website which:

 

1.)    maps arrests for possession and sale of heroin within Suffolk County; and

2.)    posts the following information for each arrest for public review: the nature/class of the arrest (i.e. felony, misdemeanor), age of the offender and the date, time, and location of the arrest; and be it further

   

2nd                   RESOLVED, that this “SDMI” website will be developed and implemented within ninety (90) days from the effective date of this resolution; and be it further

 

3rd                    RESOLVED, that this “SDMI” website, once established, shall be updated on a monthly basis; and be it further

 

4th                     RESOLVED, that this Legislature, being the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) lead agency, hereby finds and determines that this resolution constitutes a Type II action pursuant to Section 617.5(c)(20), (21) and (27) of Title 6 of the NEW YORK CODE OF RULES AND REGULATIONS (6 NYCRR) and within the meaning of Section 8-0109(2) of the NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW as a promulgation of regulations, rules, policies, procedures, and legislative decisions in connection with continuing agency administration, management and information collection, and the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is hereby directed to circulate any appropriate SEQRA notices of determination of non-applicability or non-significance in accordance with this resolution.

 

DATED: December 16, 2008

 

                        APPROVED BY:

 

 

                        /s/ Steve Levy

                        County Executive of Suffolk County

 

                        Date: December 22, 2008