Fighting DWI: Police Get Training on Leandra's Law

The Rockland County Police and Public Safety Academy hosted the first-ever Leandra's Law training for law enforcement officers Tuesday at the Rockland County Fire Training Center in Pomona.

Sponsored by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, the training session was one of four being held across the state to educate police and probation officers and sheriffs' deputies about the new law. Formally known as the Child Passenger Protection Act, Leandra's Law makes it a felony to drive while intoxicated or ability impaired by drugs with a child under the age of 16 is in the vehicle. The law took effect Dec. 18, 2009.

More than 100 professionals attended the training. The other trainings sessions will be in Monroe, Nassau and Niagara counties in August, according to the State Police.

A variety of public officials were on hand to discuss the start of a key Leandra's Law provision on Sunday, Aug. 15, which will require that courts order all drivers convicted of misdemeanor or felony drunk driving charges – even first-time offenders and regardless of whether a child under 16 was in the vehicle at the time – to install and maintain ignition interlock devices on any vehicles they own or operate at their own expense for at least six months, in addition to any other terms of sentence.

Leandra's Law is named for 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed when an SUV she and seven other children were riding in crashed on the Henry Hudson Parkway in Manhattan in October 2009. Leandra was the only person to die in the crash; her father, Lenny Rosado, championed the law. The driver of the SUV is facing a manslaughter charge in connect with Leandra's death.

Lenny Rosado was on hand at Tuesday's training session to talk about the law and the new required use of the ignition interlock devices. The event also included Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe, Sheriff James Kralik and County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef along with Mary B. Kavaney, deputy secretary for public safety for New York State, Robert Maccarone, director of the state Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives at the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), and MADD National President Laura Dean-Mooney.

New York and 35 other states have special child endangerment laws that impose tougher sanctions on individuals who place a child passenger at risk by driving while drunk or drugged. And the state will be one of 10 mandatory, first offender ignition interlock states when the provision takes effect.