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Orange County accepts multiple public‑safety grants and authorizes license‑plate readers on state roadways
Summary
The Legislature accepted several grants supporting mental‑health supports for emergency personnel (NY CARES UP grants totaling several awards), authorized License Plate Reader (LPR) installations on state right‑of‑way using grant‑purchased equipment, and accepted an ESInet Readiness Grant of $689,655 to upgrade E911 communications and infrastructure.
The Orange County Legislature on March 5 approved a set of public‑safety and communications measures that included grant awards and an authorization for license‑plate reader installations on state right‑of‑way. The body accepted NY CARES UP grants to support mental‑health and wellness initiatives for uniformed personnel: a $62,500 award to the Department of Emergency Services/Police Services, a $41,475 award to Emergency Services/E911, and $112,750 to Emergency Services/Fire Services, all with terms running through December 31, 2026. The grants fund consultant services, specialty materials, uniforms and related items.
Separately, the Legislature authorized Orange County to install License Plate Reader (LPR) equipment along New York State rights‑of‑way — including Interstate 84 and Interstate 86 — to augment public‑safety operations. The resolution notes the LPR units were purchased entirely with grant funding from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services. The stated goals include speeding first‑responder coordination for missing persons, AMBER alerts, hit‑and‑run crashes and support for investigations into organized retail theft.
The Legislature also accepted $689,655 from the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for an Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) Readiness Grant to connect to fiber‑optic ESInets, configure microwave connections between locations, and replace UPS backup systems; the ESInet grant term runs through December 31, 2030. The package of public‑safety measures was adopted unanimously (Ayes 20; Absent 1).
