Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced what he says is the nation’s first veteran’s traffic court.
The third Friday of every month will be Veteran’s Docket Day at traffic court. The program helps veterans who could lose their driver’s license at criminal court for traffic violations.
Kenneth Rosenblum, former dean of Touro Law Center, who helped create the veteran's traffic court, said, “You’ve got to drive in Suffolk County and if you don’t have a driver’s license, you have a choice of driving illegally and piling up more tickets or not getting to school and not getting to your job and not getting to medical treatments.”
Bellone says it’s a part of a bigger problem.
“A loss of a license is one of the critical elements of veterans’ homelessness and veterans spiraling downwards.”
The court provides free legal counsel and can ease fines as long as veterans attend required classes.