Syracuse Police present several contracts: canine dental emergency payment, drone software oversight, county crisis outreach MOU and Le Moyne College analyst MO

The Syracuse Police Department briefed the Syracuse Common Council on several agreements covering animal medical costs, drone software and oversight, crisis outreach services with Onondaga County, and a memorandum of understanding with Le Moyne College for a grant-funded crime analyst.

Deputy Chief Rich Shofors said the department sought authorization to pay $8,310 for emergency dental services already performed on a police K-9. “This medical procedure being an emergency has already been performed for a total of, dollars 8,310,” Shofors told the council.

The department also presented an agreement with Accent Enterprises related to drone (first-responder) software and clarified internal oversight: the department inserted language that supervisory monitoring would be required and that “Lieutenant or higher will be listen[ing] to the radio at all times,” with annual reporting to the Common Council on drone use. Shofors described the item as “just for the software to operate the system.” Council members confirmed the requirement that “Lieutenant or higher would have to approve any of the call or be involved in any of the call.”

On outreach services, the Police Department proposed an intermunicipal agreement with Onondaga County to provide two outreach workers to respond to crisis calls and to assess and refer individuals to appropriate services, including mental-health and substance-abuse resources, victim services, hospitals, homeless shelters and respite care. The department described the contract as a continuation of an existing program and said the effective dates would run from July 1 to June 30. When asked about the county’s financial contribution, the department provided an unclear figure during the meeting — “I don’t know what the percentage is, but our percentage won’t exceed them. I think it was a $108,180,000 dollars,” Shofors said — and councilors asked staff to confirm the county portion and follow up.

Item 24 was a memorandum of understanding with Le Moyne College (transcript spelled it “Lemoyne” in one place) to continue embedding a crime analyst/anti-violence coordinator in the Syracuse Police Department under a gun violence-elimination grant. Shofors said the MOU and support total a cost “not to exceed $281,760” and described the position as grant-funded: “This is the person from Le Moyne College that’s embedded in the Syracuse Police Department, paid for by a grant, that’s tracking all our gun violence stuff.” When asked what would happen after one year, staff said they would return to the council for renewal; “We have to come back again, that’s what we’re doing now, we did it last year,” Shofors said.

Councilors asked clarifying questions about oversight language for the drone item, the county share for outreach workers, and annual reporting for drone use. The transcript records the department’s presentations and requests but does not show recorded council votes on these items during this meeting.

Why it matters: These items affect public-safety operations and city spending. The canine payment reflects an unbudgeted emergency cost; the drone-item language establishes supervisory controls and reporting; the county outreach agreement touches crisis-response alternatives to police response; and the Le Moyne MOU supports grant-backed analyst capacity to address gun violence.

What’s next: The Police Department will provide follow-up details, including the county funding percentage for the outreach agreement and the annual reporting language tied to drone operations. The transcript does not record final council action on the items.