Harckham Secures $100K of Funding for Law Enforcement, Public Safety in Carmel

Mahopac, NY – In recognition of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, an annual commemoration that takes place this year on Sunday, January 9, New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that he has secured $100,000 of state grant funding for law enforcement and public safety initiatives in the Town of Carmel.

The funding will be spread among three specific needs: pedestrian safety improvements on Route 6 near Villa Barone Hilltop Manor, a drone for public safety missions and the installation of an automatic license plate reader to help investigate crimes.

“Safeguarding our residents is my top priority, and that means providing necessary support for our local police departments in every way possible,” said Harckham. “It is vital that our municipal police and public safety departments have the cutting-edge tools and technology to protect people and prevent crime, and this state funding will help in this regard while also alleviating some of the financial burden on our taxpayers.”

From the state grant, $46,700 will go toward the purchase and installation of six rectangular rapid flash beacons on Route 6 to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing the roadway. Improvements will be made to existing signage on the roadway as well, with LED lighting added to some signs. These improvements will be used in conjunction with the presence of a uniformed Carmel police officer present during large events at Villa Barone to ensure pedestrian safety.

In recent years, the part of Route 6 in the vicinity of Villa Barone has been the scene of a number of accidents involving pedestrians, including one in which a sheriff’s deputy was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured.

Additionally, $33,800 of the state grant will be used for the purchase of a DSLR Pros public safety drone and the necessary training for its use. The drone includes standard zoom and infrared cameras, which will be utilized to assist in the search for lost persons, increase officer safety in fleeing suspect searches, reconstruct traffic collisions and augment the Carmel Police Marine Unit in securing public safety on Lake Mahopac and town waterways.

The remaining $19,500 of the grant funding is earmarked for the purchase and installation of a Mobotix License Plate Reader unit, which will be used to investigate crimes where a motorized vehicle has been used to flee the scene of an incident. This unit can also be used as a traffic camera for a designated intersection. License plate readers have been useful in helping to bring successful resolutions to AMBER and Silver Alerts and other missing persons investigations.

“We appreciate Senator Harckham’s continued efforts in securing this much needed funding for the Town of Carmel Police Department,” said Carmel Supervisor Michael Cazzari. “The resources that are being provided will help us to deliver better public safety services to our residents.  Senator Harkham has been very supportive of our community, and has shown his commitment to pedestrian safety through this funding of traffic calming devices and warning lights for a treacherous stretch of highway.”

Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffmann added, “Senator Harckham knows the level of service the men and women of the Town of Carmel Police Department provide to the community every day. With his help, we are able to implement these tools to ensure pedestrian and traffic safety, keeping the quality of life for our residents and visitors at the high standards our residents and visitors deserve.”

The awarded grant funding was secured within the State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM), which is among the grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development.