Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy will pull 25 percent of the county?s highway patrol officers off the LIE at midnight as negotiations with the state over patrols stalled.

Levy and the state have butted heads over whose responsibility it is to patrol the LIE. Levy says the LIE patrol officers will be moved to other precincts unless the state takes action.

?It is their road, it is their responsibility. It is their time to stand up to their responsibility and put their troopers down there,? Levy told News 12 Long Island.

New York State Homeland Security Director Michael Balboni says he urged Levy not to remove the patrol officers and to resume negotiations, which stalled over money.

Police union officials say they?re worried about highway safety ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. Suffolk P.B.A. President Jeff Frayler says blame for any fatality over the weekend would ?go squarely on Levy?s shoulders.?

Levy maintains the LIE will remain safe and protected.