Police Commissioner Earnest J. Cipullo announces that the Garden City Police Department instituted a Child Passenger Safety Program in July 2001. The department has four Police Officers who have received training in the proper installation of child seats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and have been certified as Child Passenger Safely Technicians. The Garden City Police Department is one of only a few departments on Long Island with an official child seat fitting station.

As an official child seat fitting station, the Garden City Police Department will be able to assist residents with the installation of their child seats. In addition, the Safety Technicians will inspect child seats that have been already installed to determine if they are installed properly according to manufacturer and federal guidelines. During these installations and inspections, parents guardians and grandparents receive valuable information about the proper use and installation of child seats. Another important component of this program is that the certified technicians will replace old, damaged or uncertified child seats when warranted. National surveys indicate that nine out of ten child restraints are either used or installed improperly. Residents wishing to take advantage of this service can call the Garden City Police Department at 465-4100 to schedule an appointment.

Commissioner Ernest Cipullo states "Every day, many children are seriously injured in auto accidents because they were not in a child seat or they were in a child seat that was not installed properly. It is also very important to read the specifications listed by the manufacturer when buying a new car seat to ensure you are getting one that would meet your child's needs."

The Garden City Police Department has long been dedicated in protecting the public through its aggressive enforcement of the Vehicle and Traffic Laws. "The Garden City Police Department has many traffic programs such as Commercial Vehicle Inspections, Speed Enforcement Details and Seatbelt Checkpoints that are designed to make the roads of Garden City safer through enforcement. However, the Child Passenger Safety Program is not an enforcement initiative but an educational program that helps protect our most precious citizens, the children," states Commissioner Cipullo.