Dutchess County Awarded Grant for Protective Police Equipment

This is great news for Dutchess County and law enforcement in the Hudson Valley.

According to a press release, Dutchess County was awarded $249,930 from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services’  Police Protective Equipment Program. This grant program will provide local police departments with funding to purchase equipment like advanced vests and ballistic helmets along with DCJS approved patrol rifles. The equipment, according to the DCJS grant application, is vital to "provide the greatest level of protection and effectiveness in order to combat active shooter incidents, terrorist attacks, and/or other criminal events."

Police agencies throughout Dutchess County received funding depending on their equipment base needs. The Dutchess County Sheriffs Office topped the list receiving $107,640 and Rhinebeck rounds out the list receiving $2,400. Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson took time to thank Dutchess County Executive Mark Molinaro for for working to secure this grant funding which will enhance the safety of our officers,” he continued “This funding will allow us to continue with our efforts to provide training and equipment needed during a possible catastrophic event in order to protect our brave men and women in uniform and our residents.”

$10,000,000 grant funding was made available from January 1st, 2017 until December 31st 2017, to programs in all county in New York State through the DCJS Office of Program Development and Funding Program.