Funding For Equipment To Protect Against Terrorist, Active Shooter Attacks Secured By Suffolk County

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Suffolk County Police and local law enforcement agencies "are not going to be outgunned by criminals," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said Wednesday.

Sini, along with Suffolk County Police and representatives of 14 Suffolk law enforcement agencies were present at an event at the Hotel Indigo in Riverhead to announce a grant that will be used to purchase equipment designed to protect against terrorist and active shooter attacks.

According to Sini, 15 Suffolk County law enforcement agencies received a portion of approximately $10 million in funding from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, or DCJS.

The funds will be used to purchase advanced ballistic helmets and ballistic plates, and DCJIS-approved patrol rifles, Sini said, necessary to provide the highest level of protection in cases involving active shooters and terrorist attacks..

The Suffolk County law enforcement region received close to $500,000, with the Suffolk County Police Department receiving a distribution of nearly $240,000, to be used to purchase 60 patrol rifles, 156 ballistic vests and 156 helmets, Sini said.

The agencies receiving equipment through the grant program are the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, Amityville, Asharoken, East Hampton Town, East Hampton Village, Huntington Bay, Nissequogue Village, Northport, Sag Harbor Village, Shelter Island, Southampton Town, Southampton Village, Southold Town and Riverhead Town.

At the event, Sini said SCPD and local law enforcement are "committed to being ever vigilant," suppressing crime and protecting residents and visitors in Suffolk County.

"We are doing everything in our power to reduce our vulnerability to terrorism and active shooters," he said, adding that officers will do everything possible to respond in a way to best reduce casualties.

The grant is in line with an earlier announcement of grant funding that will be used to enhance communications among East End police departments during times of crisis, Sini said.

There was "unselfish" collaboration involved to ensure each department received a portion of the funding necessary to purchase the equipment, Sini said.

The equipment is "capable of stopping certain rifle rounds" and will be deployed in marked sector cars, assigned to vehicles, not officers, so it is readily available, with an eye toward reducing response time in instances of active shooters, Sini said.

SCPD, he said, "is not going to be outgunned by criminals."

The new equipment will "increase fire power on the street," Sini said; the patrol rifle program was created a few years ago, he said.

"We've seen, time and time again, violent scenarios and threats to police officers in this country," Sini said, referring to Dallas, where 5 police officers were "brutally assassinated," he said, as well as to the deadly Orlando nightclub massacre.

One officer at the scene in Orlando took a bullet to the helmet, he noted. "It would have been a certain death sentence, but because of a helmet like this one, the officer is alive," Sini said, displaying the helmet.

With homegrown terrorism and lone wolf attacks escalating concerns, "Now, more than ever, it's our responsibility to defend the homeland and make sure our police officers are protected," Sini said.

And, he added, "Although there is no specific threat to Suffolk County, we are in a heightened state simply because of what's happening throughout the world. And we are committed to working together to secure the necessary funds to ensure our police officers are kept safe."

Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Police Department.