Senator Valesky Announces State Funding For Crime Prevention Efforts

New York State Sen. David J. Valesky (D-Oneida) today announced more than $1 million in funding for Onondaga County’s Operation IIMPACT program.

The $1,183,189 in funding comes from a pool of funds included in the State Budget for Operation IMPACT programs across the state. The statewide Operation IMPACT program bolsters crime-prevention operations in the 17 counties outside New York City. Total funding for Operation IMPACT in all 17 counties will be $17 million in 2007, up from $14.9 million in 2006.

Locally, the IMPACT program includes the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department and the Syracuse City Police Department, in addition to other law enforcement partners.

"Operation IMPACT brings state resources to the local effort to reduce crime locally," said Sen. Valesky. "This year's funding will help give Onondaga County law enforcement agencies the tools they needs to develop strategies for effective and sustainable crime prevention."

Operation IMPACT dollars can be used for such purposes as personnel, equipment and technological improvements, provided that the funding is applied toward crime-reduction goals. The state's Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) also coordinates with local IMPACT sites to assess program effectiveness and to develop strategies for improvement.

Sen. Valesky said he is pleased with the program's emphasis on Upstate New York communities, especially considering that violent crime in New York City has declined 42 percent while jurisdictions outside the City have only witnessed a 23-percent reduction in violent crime in recent years.

"This program acknowledges that the incidence of violent crime must be addressed in communities across the state," he said.