Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul visited the Town of Tonawanda Police Department to discuss a state investment of more than $19 million in law enforcement technology for police agencies across Western New York. The funding is part of a broader $127 million allocation distributed to 378 police departments and sheriffs’ offices statewide. According to Governor Hochul, these investments are contributing to improved officer safety, enhanced protection for residents, and stronger law enforcement operations.
During her visit, Governor Hochul toured the department and observed demonstrations of new equipment acquired through state grants. This included a 3D scanner for documenting crime scenes and accidents, a virtual reality training system, and updated communications tools. She noted that “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s investments in public safety across the State, index crime in Erie County is down 14 percent while shootings in the City of Buffalo are down 22 percent.”
In her remarks, Governor Hochul expressed appreciation for law enforcement personnel: “But this is also just an opportunity for me to say thank you to everyone who decides they want to be a member of law enforcement… Because of what they do, we all sleep better at night, more safely in our beds.” She also acknowledged local leadership including Chief James Stauffiger and Supervisor Joe Emminger.
Governor Hochul highlighted how technology upgrades help departments stay ahead of evolving criminal tactics. She cited recent scams involving car thefts using key fob scanners as an example of why ongoing investment is necessary: “That’s why I’ve committed $127 million to technology upgrades across the state for law enforcement. Here in Western New York, it’s nearly [$19] million.”
The Tonawanda Police Department received $734,000 from these funds. Equipment purchased includes drones, cameras, SWAT headsets, virtual training sets, and a 3D crime scene scanner capable of quickly capturing detailed evidence. According to Hochul: “It absorbs thousands and thousands of data points and can literally recreate a crime scene which otherwise was done on paper with pens and rulers… It also preserves fragile evidence and allows prosecutors to present a detailed visual examination.”
The governor described additional initiatives such as the Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative ($6 million allocated regionally), SNUG Street Outreach programs ($3.2 million), Project Rise ($2 million), and support for crime analysis centers like Erie County’s ($1.5 million). These efforts aim at reducing gun violence and supporting community-based interventions.
She also discussed legislative changes addressing bail laws and discovery procedures intended to ensure that individuals committing crimes face consequences while improving prosecutorial effectiveness: “We had too many people that are committing crimes that are getting out without consequences… That’s not how you keep a community safe.”
Hochul reported significant declines in local crime rates: “Index crime is down 11 percent [in Tonawanda], not over years but just since last year alone. Violent crime down 36 percent.” Similar trends were observed countywide.
The governor contrasted New York’s approach with federal actions she characterized as cuts or reallocations away from public safety priorities: “Just this year Homeland Security slashed $87 million from counter-terrorism dollars… That’s a 40 percent cut right here in Western New York.” She urged federal authorities to restore funding.
Concluding her remarks, she stated: “This is how you fight crime. You fund the police at record levels… Equipping them with the best police technology… And finally passing or changing laws that need to be changed just to have more common sense in our criminal justice system.”
