Hochul: $100 million state investment in law enforcement technology & equipment

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $100 million state investment in law enforcement technology and equipment. As part of this investment, $75 million is available for police departments and sheriffs’ offices to improve technology and modernize equipment, allowing them to more effectively solve and prevent crime, and improve officer and community safety. Another $25 million will fund a new, statewide records management system, replacing a decades-old platform to improve information sharing and streamline reporting. This new investment in the state’s LETECH Grant program builds upon $127 million previously awarded through the program to 378 agencies from Western New York to Long Island, and is included in the FY27 enacted budget, which sustains record-level funding for public safety initiatives statewide.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe means ensuring the men and women who protect our communities have the tools and technology they need to meet today’s public safety challenges,” Hochul said. “This investment will help agencies modernize equipment, strengthen public safety, and improve information-sharing capabilities to enhance the work they do to protect the communities they serve, while continuing our comprehensive approach to reducing crime across the state.”

Administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the LETECH program will fund a variety of equipment and technology, including but not limited to acoustic gunshot detection systems, drones, counter-drone mitigation systems, 3-D crime scene laser scanners, trauma kits and automated external defibrillators, body-worn cameras and vests, traffic and safety equipment, lighting, specialized records management systems, and patrol vehicle and officer equipment. Agencies also may purchase equipment and technology to support 911 centers, emergency management operations, parking and code enforcement, and communication platforms to engage with the community.

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Gov. Hochul continues to secure unprecedented levels of funding for public safety. These record resources allow DCJS to do what we do best: support agencies and organizations throughout the state in their efforts to keep New Yorkers safe and help communities thrive. I am grateful to the governor for continuing to make public safety her No. 1 priority, and to the thousands of ‘on the ground’ partners who have dedicated themselves to this life-saving work.”

Approximately 500 agencies outside of New York City are eligible to apply for LETECH grants: village, town, city and tribal police departments and county sheriffs’ offices. DCJS established a tiered funding system, with maximum grant awards based on the number of full-time, equivalent sworn officers that agencies employ, ranging from $100,000 (10 or fewer officers) to $6 million (more than 1,001 officers). The new records management system, requested by local police chiefs, county sheriffs’ and district attorneys, will be available to law enforcement agencies statewide, including more than 150 smaller and rural departments that have lacked the resources to modernize. DCJS will convene the New York State Police, police chiefs, sheriffs and district attorneys to ensure the new system meets the needs of all stakeholders.

Since taking office, Hochul has invested more than $4 billion in public safety initiatives and the FY27 enacted budget sustains record-level investments in prevention, intervention and enforcement, including addressing emerging threats such as 3-D printed guns and DIY machine guns.

DCJS will notify eligible agencies of the LETECH request for applications (RFA) today. The RFA requires agencies to comply with all applicable provisions of the recently enacted “Local Cops, Local Crimes Act” to receive funding through the program. The RFA outlines those requirements, as well as items ineligible for purchase, such as vehicles, firearms and conducted energy devices. The deadline for applications is noon Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, with successful grantees notified of their awards in early fall. Contracts with DCJS for the funding will run from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2028.

The DCJS provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.