For Immediate Release: 8/3/2017

Janine Kava | janine.kava@dcjs.ny.gov
Justin Mason | justin.mason@dcjs.ny.gov
Press Office, Division of Criminal Justice Services | (518) 457-8828

New York State awards more than $420,000 in grants to 40 law enforcement agencies for new fingerprinting equipment

More than $1.5 million provided to police, sheriffs and probation departments since 2015

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services today announced more than $420,000 in grants to 40 police departments, sheriffs’ offices and probation departments across the state to purchase electronic fingerprinting equipment that will replace existing devices that are malfunctioning or obsolete. The state has now provided more than $1.5 million to help local law enforcement purchase or upgrade this equipment since 2015.

The maximum grant awarded for each device was $10,000. Each of the grant recipients must provide a 50 percent local match as this technology benefits both local law enforcement agencies and the state. Any municipal police department or county sheriff’s office in the state was eligible to apply for this funding. Probation departments in counties with a population of less than 2 million people were also eligible to apply for the grants, which are administered by DCJS.

Michael C. Green, executive deputy commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justices, said, “Keeping pace with technology is always a challenge for police agencies, especially given the budgetary constraints they often face. These grants represent our continued commitment toward ensuring our law enforcement partners across the state have the resources necessary to enhance public safety.”

All fingerprints taken in connection with arrests must be submitted electronically to DCJS – the state's repository of criminal history record information – and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Digital fingerprint technology enables law enforcement agencies and the courts to instantly receive an arrestee’s positive identification and any past criminal history and warrant information from the state. This information is crucial in determining how cases against arrested individuals proceed, including whether bail is set by the court.

DCJS previously awarded a total of $1.16 million in grants to 90 police departments and sheriffs’ offices in October 2015 and May 2016. The following 40 police departments and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties will update their equipment with this round of funding:

Long Island:

• Dear Park Police Department, Suffolk County: $10,000
• East Hampton Town Police Department, Suffolk County: $10,000
• Nassau County Police Department: $17,632 for two units
• Nassau County Probation Department: $10,000
• Old Westbury Village Police Department, Nassau County: $10,000
• Shelter Island Police Department, Suffolk County: $10,000
• Southampton Village Police Department, Suffolk County: $10,000

Hudson Valley:

• Bedford Town Police Department, Westchester County: $10,000
• Eastchester Police Department, Westchester County: $10,000
• East Fishkill Police Department, Dutchess County: $10,000
• Ellenville Police Department, Ulster County: $10,000
• Goshen Village Police Department, Orange County: $6,745
• Larchmont Village Police Department, Westchester County: $10,000
• Monroe Village Police Department, Orange County: $10,000
• Mount Pleasant Police Department, Orange County: $10,000
• Piermont Village Police Department, Rockland County: $10,000
• Poughkeepsie City Police Department, Dutchess County: $10,000
• Stony Point Police Department, Rockland County: $10,000
• Westchester County Department of Public Safety: $10,000
• Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County: $19,846 for two units.

Greater Capital Region:

• Fulton County Sheriff’s Office: $20,000 for two units
• Gloversville Police Department, Fulton County: $10,000
• Stillwater Police Department, Saratoga County: $10,000

Mohawk Valley/Central New York:

• Frankfort Village Police Department, Herkimer County: $10,000
• Herkimer County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000
• Oneida County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000
• Oneonta City Police Department, Otsego County: $10,000

North Country:

• Essex County Sheriff’s Office, $10,000
• Massena Village Police Department, St. Lawrence County: $10,000

Finger Lakes:

• Albion Police Department, Orleans County: $10,000
• Cortland County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000
• Medina Police Department, Orleans County: $10,000
• Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: $9,430
• Ogden Police Department, Monroe County: $10,000
• Ontario County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000
• Rochester Police Department, Monroe County: $16,263 for two units

Western New York:

• Erie County Sheriff’s Office: $9,000
• Niagara Town Police Department, Niagara County: $3,113   
• Olean Police Department, Cattaraugus County: $10,000
• Tonawanda Town Police Department, Erie County: $8,132

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (www.criminaljustice.ny.gov) is a multi-function criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training; collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administrative oversight of the state’s DNA databank, in partnership with the New York State Police; funding and oversight of probation and community correction programs; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the state’s Sex Offender Registry.