Griffo Secures $105,000 In Funding To Equip Utica Police Department

The Utica Police Department has some new tools to help them fight crime.

Senator Joseph Griffo has secured $105,000 in state funding for the UPD.

Griffo was joined by Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri for today's announcement.

$55,000 will go to equip the department's new Mobile Command Center and $50,000 will be used for license plate readers. The license plate readers are currently installed on three Utica Police patrol vehicles.

Griffo say it's important to provide law enforcement with the latest technology available to meet today's challenging demands of public safety.

The better our officers are equipped with modern technology and resources, the better they will be able to prevent crimes, efficiently apprehend criminals and provide the most coordinated response possible during times of crisis. But many communities cannot afford these state-of-the-art tools on their own, so I will always do whatever I can to identify and secure valuable funding on behalf of our men and women in blue, like the Utica Police Department” said Griffo.

The funding comes from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.