SCHUMER REVEALS: LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE HUDSON VALLEY ARE OWED THEIR SHARE OF MILLIONS BY THE FEDS, BUT FUNDING HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS FOR YEARS; SENATOR SAYS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND DEMANDS ACTION FROM FEDS TO HONOR COMMITMENT TO HUDSON VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENTS

Senator Says Local Cops Have Waited Up To Four Years In Some Cases For Equitable Share Covering Long & Productive Hours Helping Feds Bust Regional Crime Rings

Standing In Rockland, Schumer Launches Push To Cut Through Bureaucratic Red Tape & Retrieve Money Owed By Feds To Multiple HV Departments Including Rockland, Westchester, Orangetown, Woodbury, Yonkers, New Windsor, And Putnam County

Schumer: Our Hard-Working Hudson Valley Cops Have Waited Long Enough, Feds Should Promptly Pay Local Law Enforcement For Effective Partnering

Standing at the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office in New City, New York, surrounded by representatives of several Hudson Valley police departments, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to promptly pay their fair share of over $16 million owed to these local police departments for their vital contributions to the Westchester DEA task force, which works in partnership with the feds.

“Our Hudson Valley cops risk their lives every day to protect their communities, and have gone above and beyond to assist federal law enforcement officials in busting organized drug trafficking rings to keep our entire region safe. The least we can do is pay them for the important work they have done, and provide them with partnership funding needed to continue to safeguard our communities. I understand that processing these cases takes times, and we have to get it right, but they've waited up to four years in some cases, which strains budgets, and makes planning difficult as a result of not knowing when they will receive funding they are owed," said Senator Schumer. "Well, I'm here to say the buck stops here. The feds need to cut through the red-tape for our local cops and pay these departments the partnership money they are owed because they've done the work well and in good faith — and they have waited long enough."

"The brave men and women of the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, and the other Task Force agencies have put their lives on the line to protect our communities and deserve an equitable share of seized assets for their time and effort. It's unacceptable we've waited for up to four years, and enough is enough. I stand with Senator Schumer in demanding immediate action to retrieve our share of the $16 million owed by the feds to multiple HV departments, including in Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Westchester. The bureaucratic delays must be cut through, and our local agencies should receive the share of funds they've earned," said Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco.

Schumer said that these police departments, including the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, the Westchester County Police Department, the Orangetown Police Department, the Woodbury Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, the New Windsor Police Department, and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, have poured their resources and manpower into combating illegal drug trafficking in the region. Their tireless efforts, often undertaken at great personal risk, have resulted in the dismantling of organized drug trafficking networks and the safeguarding of our communities.

Schumer said, “This unacceptable delay has caused undue financial strain on these departments, hindering their ability to continue their crucial work effectively.”

Specifically, the senator said the Rockland County Sheriff's Office and the other police departments, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Westchester Tactical Diversion Squad Task Force, played a pivotal role in a landmark case against the Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC). In April 2019, the RDC and its executives were indicted by the DOJ under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for their involvement in the illegal sale of opioids and their failure to report suspicious orders. The investigation exposed the extent of unlawfully distributed opioids and the unscrupulous practices that had plagued our communities for years.

Despite DOJ receiving a substantial sum of $16,167,934.26 as part of the case, the local police departments involved in the Task Force, such as the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, have yet to receive their rightful share. This delay has created an unjust situation, that Schumer is determined to address, demanding that the DOJ expedite the payment process and ensuring that the department that employs these dedicated officers receives the compensation it has long awaited.

Addressing the various law enforcement agencies, Schumer acknowledged the dedication and cooperation of the Hudson Valley police officers, who have played an invaluable role in partnering with federal law enforcement officials. 

Schumer said, “They've worked tirelessly to remove dangerous drugs, such as oxycodone and fentanyl, from our streets.”

The senator emphasized the urgency of compensating these officers, explaining that some departments have been waiting for up to four years without receiving fair reimbursement for their vital contributions. 

Schumer made it clear that the time for delays in paying these local police departments what they’re owed has long passed, emphasizing that the DOJ must swiftly process the payments and recognize the exceptional contributions of these Hudson Valley officers. 

Schumer concluded that, “These men and women from various Hudson Valley police departments have selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect their communities, and it is now up to the DOJ to fulfill its obligation and deliver these well-deserved funds owed to them.” 

A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter to the Department of Justice appears below:

Dear Attorney General Garland,

I write to express my deep concern over delays in payments owed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to several Hudson Valley police departments for their vital contributions to the Westchester DEA task force. Specifically, these departments, including the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, the Westchester County Police Department, the Orangetown Police Department, the Woodbury Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, the New Windsor Police Department, and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, are owed their share of over $16 million for their efforts in successfully combating illegal drug trafficking in the region.

As you know, these brave men and women have selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect their communities, often at great personal risk, while working in partnership with federal law enforcement officials. Together, they have worked tirelessly to dismantle organized drug trafficking networks and safeguard our communities from dangerous drugs such as oxycodone and fentanyl.

Despite their unwavering commitment, some of these police departments have been waiting for up to four years without receiving fair reimbursement for their vital contributions. This unacceptable delay has caused undue financial strain on these departments, hindering their ability to continue their crucial work effectively.

Moreover, in cases such as the landmark case against the Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC), these local police departments played a pivotal role, resulting in the dismantling of a major network of illegal drug trafficking and the conviction of RDC's executives under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The RDC has since paid a substantial sum of $16,167,934.26 to the DOJ as part of the case, but the local police departments involved in the task force, such as the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, have yet to receive their rightful share.

I urge the DOJ to immediately expedite the payment process, ensuring that these dedicated officers receive the compensation they have long awaited. 

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

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