On Wednesday, July 24, the Delaware County Board of Supervisors approved the receipt of a state grant tailored to enhance the county sheriff’s office’s technological arsenal. This grant, totaling $364,051, has been awarded by the State Division of Justice Service specifically to aid in procuring cutting-edge law enforcement technology and equipment.
This grant is a constituent of the broader Law Enforcement Technology grant program. The primary purpose of this funding, according to the announcement, is to ‘bolster the efficacy of crime resolution and prevention efforts’. The grant will enable the purchase of several key pieces of equipment.
The list of planned purchases includes license plate readers, mobile and fixed camera systems, computer-aided dispatch systems, software, drones, gunshot detection devices, and innovative equipment for patrol vehicles and police personnel.
Delaware County Sheriff Craig S. DuMond revealed Wednesday that the Sheriff’s office will utilize the funds for the procurement of license plate readers to equip patrol vehicles, additional computers, surveillance cameras, a crime scene mapping device, and other essential security equipment.
Sheriff DuMond expressed satisfaction, noting that the grant funding would cover costs planned for in their internal budgeting. ‘We’re incredibly pleased. Not only does this grant cover costs for things we had already planned to budget for, but it’s also a significant savings to the local taxpayer,’ he stated.
Besides the Sheriff’s office, numerous other police departments within the county also benefited from the program’s funds. These included the Colchester Town Police, who received a sum of $73,622, the Delhi Police Department who were awarded $50,000, and the Sidney Police Department, recipient of a sizeable $130,858. An additional $108,000 was awarded to the Village of Walton Police Department.
The resolution to accept the significant funding was passed unanimously by the Delaware County Board of Supervisors. In conjunction with this, the Board conducted other business matters as well.
Among these was the appointment of Haley Gransbury into the role of acting county clerk. Gransbury, the former deputy county clerk, was appointed following the early retirement of Debra Goodrich, the previous county clerk. Gransbury will now serve in the capacity until the term’s end on December 31, 2025.
The Board also conveyed a public hearing for a proposed local law regarding false emergency alarms, which had been introduced at the board meeting on June 26. During this hearing, a local resident of Margaretville, Becky Porter, expressed her strong support for the law.
Porter firmly expressed her belief that false alarms led to an unnecessary waste of time as volunteers were dispatched ‘way too frequently’. ‘It’s a clear abuse of people’s time,’ she asserted in the hearing.
The board also gave the public an opportunity to provide their input on a proposal concerning the inclusion of agriculturally viable land into certified agricultural districts. The areas in consideration were 43.99 acres in the town of Walton and 105.16 acres in the town of Bovina.
The members of the public at the hearing did not provide any comments on the proposal. The proposal will incorporate these viable lands, offering potential advancements for the agricultural sector in the county..
Since no further comments were offered by any community members during the hearing, the session concluded without any public objections or suggestions. The board thanked everyone for their participation and moved on to scheduling the next meeting.
In an ongoing commitment to public engagement and transparency, the next county board meeting has been planned for 1 p.m. on August 28. The board looks forward to discussing further developments and ongoing projects in the county at this forthcoming meeting.
All these decisions highlight the board’s dedication to improving public service delivery and enhancing the quality of the county’s law enforcement. The unanimous acceptance of funding and the broader steps taken point to a strategic drive towards modernizing the county’s law enforcement and public administration.
This development spotlights the board’s ongoing endeavors in making Delaware County a safer community by investing in advanced law enforcement technology and nurturing a fruitful dialogue between the administration and the community members.