Orangetown PD, Rockland Sheriff To Receive $3.5M From US Justice Dept.

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The Rockland County Sheriff's Department will receive $1.8 million and the Orangetown Police Department will receive $1.67 million, as the U.S. Department of Justice finally pays their share of over $16 million owed to local police departments for contributions to the Westchester DEA task force, which works in partnership with the feds, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday.

Schumer said the feds are now set to deliver over $10 million owed to local police departments for their vital contributions, ending years of bureaucratic delays.

SEE: Schumer Demands Fair Share Of $16M For Region's Police Task Force

"Hudson Valley police departments from Rockland to Westchester to Putnam worked day in and day out to protect our communities, going above the call of duty to keep the region safe, but were left waiting and wondering — some for almost four years — if they would ever receive from the feds the partnership funding they deserved. I promised them I would not stop fighting until they got the millions they were owed, and today a promise made is a promise kept," Schumer said in the announcement. "After years of delays, police departments across the Hudson Valley are now finally getting paid the $10+ million they have rightfully deserved for helping the feds keep our communities safe from drug trafficking. With this federal funding now on the way, these departments will no longer have to worry about strained budget. It was an all-out effort, but I am proud we cut through the red-tape for our local cops and gotten them the compensation they deserve for safeguarding our communities."

Here's what local agencies are due to receive this week, he said:

Schumer said that specifically, the Rockland County Sheriff's Office and the other police departments, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Westchester Tactical Diversion Squad Task Force, played a pivotal role in a landmark case against the Rochester Drug Cooperative. In April 2019, the RDC and its executives were indicted by the DOJ under the Controlled Substances Act for their involvement in the illegal sale of opioids and their failure to report suspicious orders.

The investigation exposed the extent of unlawfully distributed opioids and the unscrupulous practices that had plagued our communities for years. Despite DOJ receiving a substantial sum as part of the case, the local police departments involved in the Task Force, such as the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, for too long did not receive their rightful share, which created an unjust situation, he said.

“I extend my gratitude to Senator Schumer for his instrumental role in securing the funding for our law enforcement efforts in the joint DEA task force. His commitment to ensuring the safety of our community is commendable, and this support will significantly enhance our ability to continue to combat drug-related crimes and hold offenders responsible,” said Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco. “Together, we stand united in our mission to create a more secure environment for our community and our country.”

"I was proud to work across the aisle with Senator Schumer along with our Rockland and Putnam County Sheriffs to demand that Attorney General Garland and the Justice Department right this wrong," Rep. Mike Lawler said in a news release. "These long-overdue funds will go a long way to assisting our law enforcement officers in their critical work, from protecting our neighborhoods to tackling the opioid crisis. I will always have the backs of these heroes and will never stop fighting for the funding they need and are owed."