Nearly $710,000 in Grants Awarded to Police Departments for New Fingerprinting Equipment

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced nearly $710,000 in state grants to 51 police departments and sheriffs’ offices across the state for the purchase of electronic fingerprinting equipment. This new equipment will replace existing devices that either malfunction or are obsolete.

“Fingerprinting is a proven and highly effective crime-fighting method – which drives us to help law enforcement agencies record and share fingerprints as efficiently as possible,” Governor Cuomo said. “These grants will help departments across the state, regardless of size, maintain a vital form of equipment, and I am proud that the state is able to help our local partners in this way.”

All fingerprints taken in connection with arrests must be submitted electronically to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services – 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. 

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green said, “Electronic fingerprinting is a phenomenal resource for law enforcement agencies, but the equipment eventually needs to be replaced and that can sometimes place a burden on local police budgets. These grants will help offset the cost of upgrading older equipment and ensure these systems function properly.”

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 and could apply for more than one device if the agency hosts a regional server that allows others to electronically submit fingerprints to the state and FBI.

The following police departments and sheriffs’ offices in 27 counties received funding to update their equipment; agencies with grant awards of $10,000 or less will purchase one device:

Long Island: 

Garden City Police Department, Nassau County: $8,345·  

Long Beach Police Department, Nassau County: $10,000 

Nassau County Police Department: $19,205 for two devices

Southampton Village Police Department, Suffolk County: $10,000 

Suffolk County Police Department: $150,000 to replace 15 devices at 12 separate locations Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000

Hudson Valley: 

Beacon Police Department, Dutchess County: $10,000 
Clarkstown Police Department, Rockland County: $10,000 
Goshen Town Police Department, Orange County: $8,998 
Kingston Police Department, Ulster County: $10,000 
Middletown Police Department, Orange County: $10,000 
Mount Vernon Police Department, Westchester County: $10,000 
New Paltz Police Department, Ulster County: $10,000 
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office: $19,989 for two devices 
Westchester County Department of Public Safety: $8,351 
White Plains Department of Public Safety, Westchester County: $10,000 
Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County: $19,692 for two devices

Greater Capital Region: 

Columbia County Sheriff’s Office: $20,000 for two units
 
Mohawk Valley/Central New York:

Cortland Police Department, Cortland County: $10,000 
Dewitt Police Department, Onondaga County: $10,000 
Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office: $80,712 (for one device for that agency and equipment for the Baldwinsville, Camillus, Geddes, Liverpool, and Solvay police departments and the sheriffs’ offices in Wayne and Yates counties)
Otsego County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000 
Oswego Police Department, Oswego County: $10,000

Southern Tier: 

Chenango County Sheriff’s Office: $18,131 for two devices 
Corning Police Department, Steuben County: $10,000 
Ithaca Police Department, Tompkins County: $10,000 
Monticello Police Department, Sullivan County: $10,000 
Steuben County Sheriff’s Office: $20,000 for two devices 
Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office: $20,000 for two devices

Finger Lakes:

Canandaigua Police Department, Ontario County: $10,000 
East Rochester Police Department, Monroe County: $10,000 
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: $10,000 
Nunda Police Department, Livingston County: $7,917 
Rochester Police Department, Monroe County: $9,158 
Seneca Falls Town Police Department, Seneca County: $9,665 
Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office: $8,124

Western New York: 

Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office: $43,989, for two devices for that agency and one each for the Fredonia, Ellicott, Jamestown and Dunkirk police departments. 
Erie County Sheriff’s Office: $9,000 
Lancaster Police Department, Erie County: $8,131 
Wellsville Police Department, Allegany County: $10,000

The Division of Criminal Justice Services expects to administer another round of funding for this equipment in 2016.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services 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. 

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo