SCHUMER URGES DOJ TO PROMPTLY REVIEW AND APPROVE NEWBURGH’S REQUEST TO REPURPOSE ALREADY-AWARDED GRANT MONEY FOR NEW SECURITY CAMERAS
Newburgh Is Struggling to Confront High Crime Rates and Seeks to Install Urgently-Needed Security Cameras to Deter and Solve Crimes; Cameras Have Wide and Deep Support From the Community and Cops
Schumer to DOJ: Return $152,031Grant Money to Newburgh So They Can Install More Security Cameras ASAP
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on U.S. Department of Justice to immediately review and approve the City of Newburgh’s request to repurpose $152,031– from a previously approved Project Safe Neighborhood grant – to launch and expand the City of Newburgh’s new security camera network. The camera project has broad and deep support throughout the community and with law enforcement. In October of 2015, the City of Newburgh applied for and received the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant worth nearly $460,000 dollars to create safer neighborhoods and reduce gang and gun violence. However, Schumer said $152,031of this funding was almost immediately repossessed by the Department of Justice due to a DOJ mistake.
“The City of Newburgh wants and needs to launch and expand a security camera network to prevent and solve crime, which is why I am urging the Department of Justice to swiftly approve their request to repurpose this critical funding, that is available already from a previously-approved grant. It’s a no-brainer to give this community the available funds it needs to install and fix these security cameras ASAP, which have broad and deep support in the community and with law enforcement. Every dollar will make a difference, and with these additional tools, Newburgh could really take a real bite out of violent crime and build a healthier community,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer.
“I am so thankful that our emergency concerns are shared by Senator Schumer. It’s comforting to know that we have continuously had the backing of our Senator when it comes to the safety of our citizens in the City of Newburgh. Senator Schumer’s ability to push through the red tape and make things happen is an asset to the City of Newburgh and we are so grateful for his service and commitment,” saidChief Daniel C. Cameron.
Schumer said that the people of Newburgh have struggled to fight the too-high levels of violent crime in their community and need all the tools and financial support they can get from the federal government to assist these efforts. This investment is the essential first step needed to help the city repair nonworking surveillance cameras and install new digital surveillance cameras in the city's most crime-ridden areas – as soon as possible,” said Schumer.
A copy of Schumer’s letter to the DOJ appears below:
Dear Attorney General Lynch:
I write to bring your attention to a problem impacting the utilization of grant funds by the City of Newburgh, New York, and to urge your swift approval of the City's request to repurpose this funding.
In October of 2015, the City of Newburgh applied for funding through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, and was awarded $458,000 dollars to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in gun crime and gang violence. The funds were released to Newburgh in March of 2016, but the City was told by the Department of Justice that it could not utilize all of this funding for the originally planned project. Subsequently, last spring, Newburgh submitted a formal request to DOJ asking that the funding be repurposed to go towards the installation of cameras in the City.
Newburgh, which is plagued by violent crime but working aggressively to target and combat crime across the City, will use this repurposed funding to repair nonworking surveillance cameras and install new digital surveillance cameras in the City's most crime-ridden areas. The camera installation project has broad and deep support throughout the community. My constituents have reached out to express the urgency of the need for this funding and to request that DOJ allow the City to immediately utilize the Project Safe Neighborhoods remaining funding of $152,031, currently in limbo, for this essential project.
Thank you for your swift consideration of this important request. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
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