East Hudson Valley News

Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) has announced a significant investment of over $1.5 million in police departments across the 94th Assembly District. This funding, secured through the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, will support 378 law enforcement agencies statewide that applied for financial assistance last fall.

“Public safety is my top priority, and we are continuing to make record investments in law enforcement to ensure they have the resources needed to protect our communities,” said Slater. “By investing in the latest technology and equipment, we are addressing the needs of law enforcement agencies as they work to safeguard the future of our state.”

The allocated funds will enable police departments and sheriffs’ offices to purchase new technology and equipment, modernizing their operations and enhancing their ability to solve and prevent crimes. The grants will cover a range of equipment and technology including license plate readers, mobile and fixed camera systems, computer-aided dispatch systems, software, unmanned aerial vehicles, gunshot detection devices, and smart equipment for patrol vehicles and police officers.

The Town of Kent Police Department expressed gratitude for the endowment: “In the fall of 2023, Lt. Alex VanderWoude applied for much-needed computers, cameras, scanners and other equipment through the DCJS Law Enforcement Tech Grant. By the spring of 2024, the Town of Kent Police Department was notified by DCJS that they would be a grant recipient of more than $150,000. The equipment will be used in everything from daily patrols to long-term investigations and for documenting crime scenes and automobile incidents. We appreciate the support from our state lawmakers in helping local law enforcement stay up to date on technology.”

Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne emphasized the importance of quality equipment: “It’s critical that our emergency services personnel have quality, top-of-the-line equipment to best provide for the safety of our community. I appreciate Assemblyman Slater for helping bring Putnam County this much-needed funding, and I look forward to working with our first responders and law enforcement officials to see it go to great use.”

Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville also acknowledged Slater's contribution: “The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department relies on evolving technology to augment and enhance public safety. Thanks to Assemblyman Slater’s support, these funds will provide valuable support to some of our existing programs. Assemblyman Slater understands the needs of law enforcement to protect the public.”

Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble stated: “The Yorktown Police Department is proud to receive state funding of $539,000 to enhance our technological capabilities in an effort to keep our residents as safe as possible. These dollars wouldn’t happen without the support of our state representatives; Assemblyman Slater has remained as engaged and supportive of our agency as he was as Town Supervisor. While there is more action the state government can take to address public safety that Assemblyman Slater is leading the charge on, this grant will go a long way towards helping us stay two steps ahead of criminals in our community.”

Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffman added: “The Town of Carmel Police Department greatly appreciates Assemblyman Matt Slater’s ongoing support by securing over $400,000 from New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Law Enforcement Technology (LETECH) Grant for Carmel Police. We will utilize this support to upgrade our computer-aided dispatch and records-keeping software as well as acquire a new unmanned aerial drone for suspect searches and missing persons searches; a 3D laser vehicle accident crime scene mapping scanner; computerized traffic data collection equipment; among others."

This investment underscores New York's commitment towards equipping its law enforcement agencies with necessary tools aimed at ensuring community safety but further investments remain critical according to Slater.