Seward Delivers $25,000 Grant to Aid Schoharie County Sheriff's Office

SCHOHARIE, 09/10/18 – State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I/Ref-Oneonta) today announced $25,000 in state grant funding he secured for the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office.  The monies will be used to help with the cost of an emergency communications equipment upgrade for Schoharie County Sheriff’s Department vehicles.   

“Our rural police departments are faced with a number of challenges – fighting crime and keeping costs in check – and providing them with the tools to do their job has always been among my top priorities,” said Senator Seward.  “A reliable communication network is imperative for law enforcement officials and first responders.  This $25,000 grant will help Schoharie County sheriff’s deputies do their job safely and efficiently, and will not come with an added cost to county taxpayers.”

Schoharie County Sheriff Ronald Stevens said, “Schoharie County has been forced to deal with a number of unforeseen costs in recent years as we rebuild from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.  This grant from Senator Seward will help meet our department’s communication needs that have been put on the backburner. The connectivity of our mobile data terminals will provide deputies with real-time information allowing them to perform many tasks they had previously depended on radio dispatch to assist with, making them a vital tool when it comes to fighting crime and keeping our deputies safe."

The $25,000 award secured by Senator Seward was included in a recently adopted state senate resolution and is administered by the state Department of Criminal Justice Services.  Specifically, the funds will be used to assist with the installation of Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVLs) and the connection of Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) for all sheriff’s department vehicles. 

“The new in-car computers are one more link in the vital chain that joins officers and first responders in the field with the information they need to serve and protect,” Seward concluded. 

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