Senator Griffo, Assemblyman Brindisi Announce Grants to Help Children's Advocacy Center and the Oneida County Sheriff's Office

Grants have purchased essential crime fighting equipment, including a patrol car and incident command equipment

ORISKANY - State Senator Joseph A. Griffo of Rome and Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi of Utica today announced that they each recently awarded the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office with a total of $45,000 in funding that is being used for equipment to fight crime in the region.

Sheriff Robert M. Maciol says Griffo’s office awarded $20,000 in funding that was used to purchase a Mobile Smart Board, which is being utilized to do crime mapping and tracking, and to assist with incident command functions at critical incidents.  The grant also was used to improve furniture and flooring at the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center, so that there are comfortable facilities for the children who receive services at the center.

Maciol says Brindisi’s $25,000 grant was used to purchase a 2014 Ford Police Interceptor marked patrol car that is being used by the Uniform Patrol Division of the Sheriff’s Office.

“I was pleased to provide the Sheriff’s Office funding that will be used to help keep residents of the Mohawk Valley safe for years to come,” Brindisi said.  “I understand the fiscal constraints that the sheriff’s office is under, and this funding will meet some critical needs the Sheriff’s Office has had, without impacting local property taxpayers.”

“With this funding, the Sheriff’s Office will be able to receive real-time information about crimes and accidents that will help them make informed decisions and possibly save lives,” Griffo said. “I’m pleased to help secure this money to provide for equipment that will improve the Sheriff’s Office and some of its most critical programs.”

“Sheriff Maciol and his Office set out every day to keep our residents safe and I’m proud to have him as a partner in local government,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr.  “This is key funding as Sheriff Maciol continues to modernize the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.  I thank Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi and Senator Joseph Griffo for supporting his efforts in keeping Oneida County a safe place for our families to live, work and raise a family.”

“I am grateful that Assemblyman Brindisi and Senator Joseph Griffo have always supported the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office in every way that they can,” Maciol said. “In utilizing these grants, we are able to make crucial public safety purchases, without having to increase our annual budget.”

Griffo, Brindisi, and Picente joined Sheriff Maciol today at the Deputy Kurt B. Wyman Law Enforcement Building in Oriskany to unveil the new equipment.