Rep. LaLota Secures Nearly $1M To Benefit Law Enforcement Agencies On South Fork

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Rep. Nick LaLota recently presented two checks, totaling nearly $1 million, to benefit law enforcement agencies on the South Fork.

On Tuesday, August 25, LaLota presented $782,100 to the Southampton Town Police Department, which will be used to upgrade technology within its mobile command van — and to expand the department’s monitoring capabilities and communications during emergencies, officials said.

The $206,751 he presented to the Village of Sag Harbor Police Department will support vehicle enhancements that will give officers reliable vehicles to carry out their duties, officials added.

LaLota said he secured the funding for these municipalities through the Fiscal Year 2026 Community Project Funding Appropriations process, a discretionary process that allows members of Congress to direct federal funding toward critical local projects.

"Delivering nearly $1 million in federal funding to the Southampton and Sag Harbor Police Departments strengthens public safety while sparing local taxpayers the expense, which is exactly how I’m making sure Long Islanders send less money to Washington and get more in return," said LaLota.

"Whether it’s quadrupling the SALT cap to cut the average Long Island family’s federal taxes by about $3,000 or bringing home $27.1 million for public safety, water quality and infrastructure projects across Long Island, I’m focused on my mission to make sure Long Islanders keep and get back more of their hard-earned tax dollars, while seeing those dollars put to work in their communities," he sadi.

Southampton Town police will use the $782,100 in federal funding that LaLota secured to refurbish and modernize its mobile command van, adding critical communications and emergency response technology to extend the useful life of a sound asset, officials said.

The upgraded command van will serve as a mobile hub for emergency operations, enabling Southampton Town police to coordinate with state, local, and federal agencies during major incidents, officials said.

New interoperable radio equipment will allow Southampton Town police to communicate directly with state, local, and federal agencies during major emergencies, while satellite communications will provide a backup if cellular networks are unavailable or overwhelmed, officials said.

The van will also be equipped to receive secure video feeds from schools, houses of worship, and other facilities with private security systems, officials said. That will give law enforcement real-time information from locations where an emergency is unfolding and help officers make faster, better-informed decisions, officials added.

The project will strengthen the capabilities of Southampton Town’s crisis negotiation team by providing reliable communications from the scene of an incident — and, the upgraded system will allow negotiators to communicate with individuals in crisis without relying on potentially unreliable cellular service, officials said.

The refurbished command van will also include technology to detect and mitigate unauthorized or threatening drones, officials said.

Southampton Town police will be able to deploy its drone pilots and related equipment from the command van to identify potential drone threats during special events and other emergencies, officials added.

Currently, the Southampton Town Police Department’s command van is about 25 years old and remains in sound mechanical condition, officials noted.

Rather than replace a vehicle that continues to function, the department plans to refurbish the existing command van with modern communications and emergency response technology, officials said.

"My district is completely within the First Congressional District, so every dollar that the Congressman brings home to us, to our local towns and communities, is a dollar saved by our taxpayers. Many people mistake these beautiful, bucolic communities on the east end as a place for the rich and famous, but those aren't the people who typically live here. The people who do certainly need this kind of support," added. Senator Anthony Palumbo.

"Today's a major victory for our taxpayers. Long Island families send a tremendous amount of hard-earned money to the federal government, and today it's about bringing that money back home to New York where it belongs. These federal dollars directly lower the burden on local property owners. Instead of funding these vital upgrades through town taxes, we're utilizing federal money to protect our community," said Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore.

“I want to thank the congressman for his continued support of the Southampton Town Police Department and public safety in general. And I thank him for allowing us to move forward with this project. Our command van is 25 years old. It's in very sound mechanical condition, and there is no reason to get rid of something that is old but working fine. So, what we plan to do is refurbish it and get equipment where we can serve the community better,” said Town of Southampton Police Chief James Kiernan.

“These federal funds are important to us. They help bridge the gap so the taxpayers are not overburdened. And I just wanted to thank Congressman LaLota for understanding that and for showing support in Washington for the local municipalities and Law Enforcement,” said Village of Sag Harbor Mayor Thomas Gardella.

“Maintaining a safe and reliable fleet is also one of the larger recurring expenses faced by a small municipal police department. This funding will allow us to replace aging vehicles with modern, reliable police vehicles while significantly reducing the financial burden that would otherwise fall directly on the taxpayers of the Village of Sag Harbor. And while Sag Harbor may be a small community, demands placed on our department are anything but small,” said Village of Sag Harbor Police Chief Robert Drake.

Recently, LaLota also presented Southold Town with more than $1 million for new police cars and radios.