State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R,C - Schenectady) has obtained $165,000 for public safety programs in the City of Schenectady, most of which will be used to expand surveillance camera coverage to additional neighborhoods.
"Video cameras in public spaces have proven to be valuable crime deterrents in other communities," Senator Farley said, "and I am pleased to cooperate with State and local law enforcement agencies to help Schenectady expand its current surveillance network."
"Schenectady's camera surveillance project is proving so effective in preventing and fighting crime that it is considered a model program for New York and the nation. Thanks to Senator Farley's continued partnership and generous support, we are expanding the camera project to more areas of our city," said Mayor Brian U. Stratton.
The cameras and their support network will cost $102,000, which will be administered by the Schenectady County District Attorney's Office. The Schenectady Police Department will receive $59,000 to cover personnel costs associated with the surveillance program and with a parallel initiative to expedite the serving of arrest warrants. The Schenectady County Sheriff and the Probation Department will each receive $2,000 as part of the warrant initiative. The Schenectady County Legislature accepted the funds on Tuesday night.
The funding comes from reprogramming of the unexpended balance of federal law enforcement grants allocated to the State Senate in 2004. Since the federal funds must be expended by this September, the Senate cooperated with the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in selecting a project which can be immediately implemented.
The Schenectady County District Attorney's Office previously announced the funding allocated to County agencies, but did not identify that a large portion of it is coming from the State Senate. Senator Farley also obtained a $25,000 member item in the 2007-08 State budget for cameras in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood.
