Washington, DC – Just months after meeting with Long Island officials about gang violence, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $200,000 to help Suffolk County Police Department combat gang, gun, and drug related crimes. Senator Gillibrand aggressively lobbied members of the Appropriations Committee to include funding for the project in this year’s spending bill.
“We can never allow the lure of gangs to surpass opportunities for our children to grow and achieve their full potential,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Too many communities are seeing increasing gang activity and the violent crime that comes with it. It’s time to fight back with better resources for our law enforcement, tougher penalties to lock up offenders, and positive role models to guide our children to success and unite communities to keep our families safe.”
In an effort to combat the impact of gangs in Suffolk County, the Police Department would receive $200,000 to help provide up to an additional 3240 man-hours to the department, increasing its presence in schools and on the streets, targeting high crime areas by increasing the number of officers on patrol, and providing educational presentations in schools and community groups regarding gang, gun, and drug related issues, with specific concentration on heroin.
The legislation will next head to the floor for a full vote before the Senate. The bill will then proceed to the House-Senate Conference Committee, before final passage in both chambers and then to the President to become law.