CHANNEL 4 - YOU DISGUST ME!

I am disgusted with a recent report that News Channel 4 - WIVB worked on.

MY RESPONSE TO THE REPORT -
Auto accidents cost EVERY American more than $1,000 every year, Car crashes are the #1 killer of teenagers in America & Car crashes are the #1 cause of death and injury here in the US. Yet, our society has become desensitized and fail to recognize these alarming statistics. Everyone jumps the gun thinking we need to change laws and they comment that we have a lack of enforcement rather than thinking about the LACK of traffic safety EDUCATION. Our society is truly lacking that vital component and having the state police at one of the largest county fairs in America is re-introducing this vital component back into our society. Issuing a ticket does NOT educate drivers!!!!!! These troopers can issue tickets all day long BUT what are people LEARNING? I would much rather have them in an approachable atmosphere, showing our citizens what can happen IF you make the wrong choice behind the wheel(and presenting them with the RIGHT choices)- Rather than having them delivering another death notice to a family. Every 5 seconds there is a crash and every 12 minutes a death on the roads. Crashes are often times 100% preventable and if they were presented the proper education & choices, this would NOT be happening. To me, this news piece was nothing but a waste of time and money! Making an entire story complaining about the NYS Police delivering education for 11 days to the very people you and your family travel on the roads with everyday! For all you know, a person may now make the right choice behind the wheel here in NY and you just may benefit from it! THANKS to the education they were given at the fair. Where else do you get FREE traffic safety education? NYS needs to give more funding to traffic safety education, allowing for a cut in the $231 Billion dollars it is costing it's tax payers to cover the costs of car crashes! The NYS Senate would not even pass the SAFE-TEEN NEW YORK Bill! At least the troopers take this issue seriously, trying to change our cultural complacency and are creating leadership at the state and local levels in support of what we can call "a public health challenge."

THE STORY AS REPORTED BY MYLOUS-

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) - When you and your family head out to the Hamburg fair grounds, safety is important. But, are there too many state troopers on patrol at America's Fair?

New York State is being dogged by a budget crisis that's expected to top six billion dollars next year.

A K-9 demonstration at America's Fair has some wondering if fiscal belt tightening should include reducing the number of state police sent to fairs and other community events.

Steven Nigrelli from New York State Police said, "These are school resource officers from all over Troop A. They come here and do educational component and we do recruitment."

The stand is packed for this demonstration.

Inside, a chance to meet and greet some of the state's finest. There's also information about the duties troopers carry out.

Capt. Nigrelli said no trooper is pulled off any detail to take part in duties at the fair. "There's a hundred thousand people that come through the gates every day. We try to get the message out about seatbelts, drinking and driving, aggressive driving. There's an aggressive driving detail."

With Governor Patterson calling for budget cuts, we decided to ask taxpayers if they're concerned what's going on here is not money well spent.

"That's not going to affect the budget very much. I think it's great to have the state police here to talk to in a one-on-one easy relaxed atmosphere," said fairgoer Kirk Rowland.

Dianna Haley said, "It's only for ten days. They have to do public relations and this is a great place to public relations instead of giving out tickets all the time."

State Police said the school resource troopers are used at events like the fair and Juneteenth during the summer's months when school is not in session.

Story by Mylous Hairston, WIVB