Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley) gathered with leaders of the Haverstraw Police Department and Town of Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips on Friday, February 25 to discuss an array of shared public safety priorities.
The group began their roundtable with a discussion of the nuts and bolts of local policing: funding, infrastructure, and material needs. Senator Skoufis committed to securing a $50,000 grant for the department to support upgrades to their technology and recording systems, as well as streamlining some of the department’s processes.
The roundtable then moved onto the boots-on-the-ground experiences of Haverstraw’s officers: how statewide legislation impacts their day-to-day work, and how existing laws could be strengthened to keep our communities safe.
“I am grateful to the Haverstraw Police for taking some time to sit down with me,” said Senator Skoufis. “Conversations like this one, while not simple, are vital to finding common ground on issues of policing and public safety, and I urge more of my colleagues to do the same. At the end of the day, elected officials and law enforcement need to be on the same page: doing all we can to keep our communities and families safe while striving to meet the needs of those we serve.”
“This is an incredible team all working together to maintain public safety,” added Supervisor Phillips. ”We look forward to continuing our partnership with Senator Skoufis in the years ahead.”
Senator Skoufis would like to thank Police Chief Peter Murphy, Lt. John Gould, Lt. Manny Figueroa, Detective/PBA President Nicholas Armida and Officer/PBA First Vice President Michael Lupo for lending their time and expertise. Skoufis remains an outspoken supporter of emergency responders and ensuring local departments have the resources they need.