Harckham Secures State Grants to Purchase License Plate Readers for Dutchess, Putnam Sheriffs

New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office each have been awarded $50,000 in state grant funding toward the purchase of license plate readers.

The automated license plate readers (ALPRs), whether mounted in vehicles or on stationary poles, are specialized digital cameras and computers that scan the license plates of vehicles passing by, and note the date, time and location. The accompanying software then quickly compares the uploaded license plate information with data from law enforcement agencies and offers near-instant notifications of whether the vehicle has been stolen or is linked to an investigation.

“Our public safety professionals require state-of-the-art tools and resources to protect our residents and fight crime,” said Harckham. “License plate readers offer high-tech assistance in tracking down individuals in question, and I am pleased to have been able to help gain these resources for the Dutchess and Putnam sheriffs and their colleagues.”

Law enforcement officials generally use ALPRs in two ways. After adding a license plate to a “hot list,” vehicles that are stolen, associated with an outstanding warrant or part of an Amber Alert (missing child) or Silver Alert (missing senior citizens) can be identified and tracked. Also, the data from ALPRs can be used to help solve crimes by offering historical information about relevant vehicles or areas under investigation.

“The men and women in law enforcement today face many challenges; however, additional license plate readers will greatly ease some of those challenges and go a long way towards making their jobs easier in the field,” said Dutchess County Sheriff Adrian H. Anderson, “The money earmarked for the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office to purchase a stationary License Plate Reader through funding sponsored by Senator Harckham is very much appreciated. Having this invaluable tool at our disposal will greatly enhance our effectiveness as law enforcement officers.”

Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley Jr. said,

“Automated License Plate Readers are an instrumental tool for law enforcement and increase the solvability of crimes that may go unsolved.  The data collected by an ALPR has proven itself repeatedly in solving crimes, locating missing persons, locating stolen vehicles and saving lives.  These devices are long overdue in Putnam County and will enhance the capabilities of our officers in their investigations.”

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. 

In the past year, Harckham has secured more than $6 million in SAM funding for numerous community projects and municipal initiatives throughout the 40th Senate District.

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Submitted by Carmel, NY

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