Suffolk police join MADD Long Island walk at Jones Beach for victims

Suffolk County Police Department members joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving at Northwell Health Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh on Saturday, turning the annual Long Island walk into a reminder that impaired driving remains a deadly public-safety problem in Suffolk County and across New York.

MADD describes Move With MADD Long Island as its signature fundraising event, and the money raised supports free 24/7 victim services. Those services include help with crime victim compensation, court accompaniment, emotional support and referrals, a package of support aimed at people whose lives have been upended by drunk or drug-impaired drivers.

The event also reflected a broader shift in how MADD presents the campaign. In July 2025, the organization rebranded its long-running Walk Like MADD fundraiser as Move With MADD, saying the new name was meant to emphasize inclusivity and accessibility while continuing to unite communities around ending impaired driving.

The urgency behind that message is clear. NHTSA reported 11,904 deaths in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States in 2024. New York State Police say slightly more than 30% of fatal crashes in New York are alcohol related, a figure that underscores how often a single bad decision behind the wheel turns into a fatal call for police, firefighters and hospital staff.

Suffolk’s presence at Jones Beach also fits the role of the department’s Community Relations Bureau, which was established on May 1, 2005, to build trust and maintain open communication with the community. That mission has placed the bureau in the middle of public-safety outreach, including efforts tied to traffic safety and prevention.

The Jones Beach walk has become a familiar fixture on the local calendar. The 2025 event at the same venue included a Community and Engagement Fair, live music, venue tours, networking, art activities and a special Victim Tribute Area, a format that put survivors and families at the center of the day rather than the fundraising alone.

For MADD’s New York chapter, the goal remains a future of “No More Victims.” Saturday’s walk showed how that message continues to depend on police participation, survivor support and a public willing to confront the toll of impaired driving before another crash adds to the count.