Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) today announced that the East Hampton Police Department is 1 of 31 law enforcement agencies across New York State that will share nearly $1 million in grants to reduce, solve and prevent crime. Grants are administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services under the Operation IMPACT Tools and Gun Involved Violence Intervention (GIVE) programs. East Hampton Police Department was awarded $23,900 for increased patrols to target car larcenies and burglaries.

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele noted, “East Hampton Police Department was the only law enforcement agency in Suffolk County to receive such a grant. I am proud to represent East Hampton and congratulate Supervisor Larry Cantwell and Police Chief Michael Sarlo on this award.”

East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said, "In this time of tight budgets, the State grant will fund additional police presence and patrols throughout East Hampton Town."

Both IMPACT and GIVE target 17 counties that account for 80 percent of the reported crime in the state outside of New York City. Agencies within those 17 counties not already funded through IMPACT/GIVE also were eligible to apply for Tools grants, which are designed to encourage law enforcement agencies in smaller jurisdictions to use active partnerships; timely, accurate crime data; sharing of information; and effective strategies to target and reduce crime in their communities.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (www.criminaljustice.ny.gov) is a multi-function criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training; collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administrative oversight of the state’s DNA databank, in partnership with the New York State Police; funding and oversight of probation and community correction programs; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the state’s Sex Offender Registry.

Including these grants, New York State has provided nearly $5.2 million to 129 agencies since the Tools program was created in 2005.