Suffolk officials say the number of tickets handed out on the LIE and Sunrise Highway has drastically dropped since deputy sheriffs took over patrols last year.

According to county officials, the deputy sheriffs issued 63 percent fewer tickets in the first six months they patrolled the highways than did Suffolk police over a similar period. Suffolk Sheriff Vincent DeMarco says it may be because sheriffs had fewer cars out on the highways than the police department did until recently.

Between Sept. 15, 2007 and March 15, 2008, Suffolk police issued 5,000 more speeding tickets than sheriffs did this year and 1,000 more cell phone violations.

Levy made the patrol change last year in order to save money and maintains his plan worked.

?We said that we could save over $8 million, fewer taxes and maintain the previous level of safety, which we have as evidenced by the fact that the accident rate has gone down,? Levy said in a written statement.

There have been 129 fewer accidents since the sheriffs took over patrols. However, Congressmen Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) as well as state Sen. Brian Foley (D-Brookhaven) are working to put county police back on patrols.