2008

The Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board (OCTSAB) hosted their 20th Annual Awards Breakfast, Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at the Renaissance Syracuse Hotel. The following awards were presented:

For the past 20 years, the Traffic Safety Advisory Board has honored community organizations with the Norma H. Coburn Traffic Safety Community Service Award. The Coburn Award recognizes an organization or individual for their outstanding achievement in traffic safety. This year's Coburn Award recipient was Brian Lauri, former Onondaga County Assistant District Attorney, for his dedication to traffic safety while employed by the District Attorney’s Office, serving seven years in the DWI Bureau. 

Since 1996, the Gerald E. Deitz Individual Safety Service Award has recognized professional individuals in the community who have made a difference in the traffic safety field. This year's Deitz Award winner was Captain Steve Rotunno, Camillus Police Department, for his dedication to traffic safety not only with the Camillus Police Department, but in assorted OCTSAB committees and events. 

Given since 2000, the John H. Mulroy Traffic Safety Government Service Award is bestowed on a governmental agency that has dedicated themselves to making roads safer in Onondaga County. This year's Mulroy Award was presented to the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) for their well-established and longstanding working relationship with law enforcement and for their commitment to traffic safety.

The Onondaga County District Attorney’s STOP DWI Award was presented to Tom Potter of Onondaga Beverage.  Onondaga Beverage teamed with Heineken USA to help the District Attorney’s Office launch Operation Teen Proof in Onondaga County.  Onondaga Beverage purchased and provided security laminate driver’s license verifiers to area law enforcement agencies and places where alcohol is served. 

In addition to these awards, the top three performers from small and large police departments were honored for their efforts in the areas of Impaired Driver, Occupant Restraint, and Speed Enforcement.  In the Small Police Agency Category, Officer Tina-Marie Stanton, Town of Manlius Police Department, was honored for her 56 impaired driving arrests; Officer Heather Leabo, Camillus Police Department, was acknowledged for her occupant restraint efforts issuing 59 citations; and Officer Joseph Clabaugh, Camillus Police Department, was recognized for issuing 186 speeding citations during the period of October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007.   For the Large Police Agency Category, Deputy Jeff Passino, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, was honored for his 58 impaired driving arrests; Trooper Christopher Vincentini, New York State Police, was recognized for issuing 235 occupant restraint citations; while New York State Trooper John Kulesa issued the most speeding citations during the reporting period with 584 citations.  The top performer from the Town and Village Police Departments was North Syracuse Police Officer Jeffrey Tripp for issuing 1801 citations during the reporting period. While Deputy Passino, Sheriff’s Office, was selected as the top performer from a Large Police Agency. 

For the fourth consecutive year, the OCTSAB presented Aggressive Criminal Enforcement awards to two officers for their efforts that went above and beyond normal vehicle and traffic stops.  Officer James Mills, Syracuse Police Department, made traffic stops that led to outstanding criminal apprehensions in the large department category.  Officer Thomas Regan, Town of DeWitt Police Department, was selected for his efforts. Additionally, Chairperson's Awards were bestowed upon the Dereaux Branch, for his leadership for the 1st Traffic Safety Fair; Driver’s Village, for hosting the Traffic Safety Fair; and Babies ‘R’ Us for their dedication to child passenger safety.

AAA of Western and Central New York (AAA) presented five Gold Awards and one Platinum Award to local police departments.  These Awards are given to communities that statistically demonstrate measurable effectiveness in addressing local traffic safety issues.  AAA Gold Awards were presented to the Baldwinsville, East Syracuse, Liverpool, Manlius and Syracuse Police Departments.  The Camillus Police Department received a Platinum Award.

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2007

The Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board (OCTSAB) hosted their 19th Annual Awards Breakfast, Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center at the Marx. The following awards were presented.

For the past 19 years, the Traffic Safety Advisory Board has honored community organizations with the Norma H. Coburn Traffic Safety Community Service Award. The Coburn Award recognizes an organization or individual for their outstanding achievement in traffic safety. This year's Coburn Award recipient was Gene Conway, Chief of the DeWitt Police Department, for his leadership role in the development of the Gone4Ever exhibit. 

Since 1996, the Gerald E. Deitz Individual Safety Service Award has recognized professional individuals in the community who have made a difference in the traffic safety field. This year's Deitz Award winner was Syracuse Police Officer Jack Hayes for his dedication to traffic safety not only with the Syracuse Police Department, but in assisting other departments in the County. 

Given since 2000, the John H. Mulroy Traffic Safety Government Service Award is bestowed on a governmental agency that has dedicated themselves to making roads safer in Onondaga County. This year's Mulroy Award was presented to Chief Thomas Winn and the Camillus Police Department for their traffic safety efforts, including the development of Saved by the Belt and Operation STOP.

The Onondaga County District Attorney’s STOP DWI Award was presented to Eric Mower and Associates.  The team of Chris Steenstra, Kevin Tripodi, Katie Regan, and Nancy Downs were driving forces behind the Gone4Ever Exhibit.  Gone4Ever is a portable, multi-media display depicting three fatal crashes in Onondaga County and the five victims.

In addition to these awards, the top three performers from small and large police departments were honored for their efforts in the areas of Impaired Driver, Occupant Restraint, and Speed Enforcement.  In the Small Police Agency Category, Officer Todd Creller, Village of Liverpool Police Department, was honored for his impaired driving arrests while working as a part-time officer for the Village; Officer Jeffrey Tripp, North Syracuse Police Department, was acknowledged for his occupant restraint efforts; and Officer Jeffery Peckins, Manlius Police Department, was recognized for the amount of speeding citations he issued during the period of October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006.   For the Large Police Agency Category, Trooper Mark Bender, New York State Police, was honored for his impaired driving arrests; Trooper Christopher Kolozsvary, New York State Police, was recognized for his occupant restraint efforts; while New York State Trooper John Kulesa issued the most speeding citations during the reporting period.  The top performer from the Town and Village Police Departments was Camillus Police Officer Joseph Clabaugh. Sgt. Joel Cordone, Syracuse Police Department, was selected as the top performer from a Large Police Agency. 

For the third consecutive year, the OCTSAB presented Aggressive Criminal Enforcement awards to two officers for their efforts that went above and beyond normal vehicle and traffic stops.  Officers Shawn Prue and Robert Ocker from the Syracuse Police Department, as a team, made traffic stops that led to outstanding criminal apprehensions.  Additionally, a Chairperson's Award was bestowed upon the New York State Park Police for their traffic safety efforts.

AAA of Western and Central New York (AAA) presented four Gold Awards and two Platinum Awards to local police departments.  These Awards are given to communities that statistically demonstrate measurable effectiveness in addressing local traffic safety issues.  AAA Gold Awards were presented to the Camillus, East Syracuse, Liverpool and Manlius Police Departments.  The Baldwinsville and Skaneateles Police Departments received Platinum Awards.

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2006

The Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board (OCTSAB) held their annual awards breakfast on January 10, 2006 at The Marx Hotel and Conference Center, Syracuse. The following Awards were presented:

The Norma H. Coburn Traffic Safety Community Service Award recognizes an organization for their outstanding achievement in traffic safety. This year's Coburn Award recipient was Christie Casciano, WSYR Channel 9. 

The Gerald E. Deitz Individual Safety Service Award recognizes professional individuals in the community who have made a difference in the traffic safety field. This year's Deitz Award winner was Sgt. Mary Tone, DeWitt Police Department. 

The John H. Mulroy Traffic Safety Government Service Award is bestowed on a governmental agency that has dedicated themselves to making roads safer in Onondaga County. This year's Mulroy Award was presented to Skaneateles Chief Lloyd Perkins on behalf of his work with Operation Eagle Eyes while chief of the Camillus Police Department.   

Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Awards were presented to the top two officers in the County for their efforts that went above and beyond normal vehicle and traffic stops.  Officer Rocco DePerno, North Syracuse Police Department, and Officer Thomas Regan, DeWitt Police Department, each made traffic stops that led to outstanding criminal apprehensions. 

Chairman's Awards were given to Ann Barnett, Onondaga County Health Department, and Kay Staley-Smith, Department of Motor Vehicles, in recognition of their years of service and participation with the OCTSAB. 

The STOP DWI Award was presented to the District Attorney’s DWI Bureau in recognition of their efforts and contributions to stopping DWI.

The AAA Community Traffic Safety Program is an awards and recognition program for communities of all sizes nationwide that identify and then seek to address their local traffic safety issues. Based on a community's population, the program considers: Basic crash statistics, Presence of a traffic safety leadership group, Traffic safety programs, projects and their measured effectiveness.The awards progress from Honorable Mention to Bronze, Silver, Gold and on to the highest level, Platinum. This year, three Onondaga County communities were the recipients of Gold Awards, while one community received a Platinum Award.

AAA Gold Awards were presented to:
Baldwinsville Police Department
Camillus Police Department
Liverpool Police Department

AAA Platinum Award was presented to:
Skaneateles Police Department

The top three performers from small and large departments were honored for their efforts in the areas of Impaired Driver, Occupant Restraint, and Speed Enforcement. 

Small Police Agency Category:
Impaired Driving: Sgt. Peter Vasiloff, East Syracuse Police Department
Occupant Restraint: Officer Douglas Pennock, Cicero Police Department
Speeding: Officer Joseph Caputo, Clay Police Department

Large Police Agency Category:
Impaired Driving: Sgt. Joel Cordone, Syracuse Police Department
Occupant Restraint: Sgt. Joel Cordone, Syracuse Police Department
Speeding: New York State Trooper Paul Calderwood

Top Overall Performers:
Town and Village police departments: Clay Police Officer David Volz
Large police agency: Syracuse Police Officer Greg Adams 

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