MARCH 6, 2008

COUNTY LEGISLATOR WROBLEWSKI LEADS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN ACCEPTING SHERIFF'S FUNDING

Erie County Legislator Timothy M. Wroblewski (D-West Seneca, South Cheektowaga) is continuing to lead the Erie County Legislature in its support for law enforcement and public safety actions through creative funding, including a major effort that will not come from taxpayers' funds.

The Public Safety Committee, which Legislator Wroblewski chairs, approved the allocation of a $135,000 in the Erie County Sheriff's Office Asset Forfeiture Funded Program (SAFS). The funding is to be used for the purchase of vehicles and equipment, among other items, and these expenditures meet established criteria.

"The use of funds from assets forfeited by offenders, avoiding the use of tax dollars, to purchase vehicles and other equipment for our Sheriff's personnel, is a great plan of action," Legislator Wroblewski said. "I am glad that as Chair of the Public Safety Committee, that I was able to lead the committee in working with Sheriff Timothy Howard to utilize this forfeited asset funding."

The Public Safety Committee also approved receiving a $29,278 State of New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee grant to allow the Sheriff's Office to participate in the statewide Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.

"The main objective of this state-funded program will be to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury accidents attributable to aggressive driving," Legislator Wroblewski said. "The funding will specifically be used to fund overtime and buy equipment to use in selective enforcement patrols targeting what are called identified crash causing situations."

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