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Millerton Police receive $220,000 funding increase

MILLERTON — The Millerton Police Department has received $220,000 from New York’s Division of Criminal Justice Services to update infrastructure and aid in supplying officers with uniforms and firearms.

In July, Millerton’s Police Department requested an increase in funding to support the officers on duty.

The Chief of police, Joseph Olenik, requested more funding so that his officers could receive uniforms and firearms through their budget. Olenik said officers would have to pay for their uniforms and firearms, which could cost an individual around $1,200.

“We received an additional $220,000 in funding from criminal justice services, which will be used to update computers, police cars and purchase laptops for officers working from home,” Olenik said. “They are also installing a new surveillance system and access control system for the police station.”

The funding surpassed what the chief was hoping to receive, which was $8,000 to help officers with uniforms and firearms. Now, with a larger budget, Olenik can make departmental updates that were not possible beforehand.

“We are slowly getting the equipment in,” Olenik said, “I would say within the next month, by the end of November, we should have pretty much everything.”

The chief also said officers are receiving training for the new equipment to ensure everyone’s safety.

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