Schenectady police committees accept three federal grants for child-safety seats, tactical equipment and explosive-detection K-9

Schenectady — The city’s public safety committee voted Aug. 18 to accept three separate grants for police programs: a Governor’s Traffic Safety Commission (GTSC) child passenger-safety award, a $75,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tactical grant intended for local tactical-team equipment, and a $32,000 DHS grant to create an explosive-detection K‑9 team.

The GTSC award, administered in partnership with the State Department of Motor Vehicles, will fund car-seat education, free installation events and distribution of seats; city staff said there is no local match required. “Money comes from the GTSC in partnership with [the] Department of Motor Vehicles, and there is no match for the city,” a police department representative told the committee.

Why it matters: The three grants expand public-safety capabilities while imposing little or no direct local cost, city officials said. The child passenger-safety funding aims to reduce injuries to infants and children by increasing correct car-seat use through outreach and certified installations. The tactical grant targets equipment for local tactical teams; the K‑9 award supports purchase, training and outfitting of a canine trained to detect explosives.

Committee discussion and details: Committee members asked how the child-safety work will be delivered. The police representative said the department has received car seats previously via a partner group and that the new funding will mostly support public events “to promote the proper use of car seats, help people install them, put on events for free installations, provide car seats, education,” and similar outreach. The representative said the department has a trailer that previously held donated seats and that seats have been supplied at a discount.

On the tactical grant, the department said the $75,000 award is for equipment to support counterterrorism and similar tactical needs within city limits; when asked if the funds would be used only in the city, staff replied in the affirmative. Committee members did not request amendments.

Regarding the explosive-detection K‑9, staff described the $32,000 award as funding for purchase of a canine, training, collars and harnesses, training tools and some overtime/backfill for officers while training occurs. “We currently don't have an explosive-protection K‑9. We only have a drug K‑9,” the department representative said. The department estimated canine training at roughly six months and said the animal would expand capabilities beyond explosives detection to tracking and event sweeps.

Formal actions: Committee motions were made to accept each grant and passed on voice votes. (The meeting record shows the motions were moved and seconded and committee members responded “Aye.”) No onsite vote tallies or roll-call names were recorded in the committee transcript.

What’s next: Staff said the department will schedule events and coordinate with the traffic division on outreach for the child-safety program, finalize procurement and training for the K‑9, and use the tactical grant funds for allowed equipment and support costs. No further approvals were identified in the committee discussion.