Governor Hochul and Congressman Higgins Announce $500,000 in Federal Funding to Support Targeted Violence and Domestic Terrorism Prevention Efforts

Governor Kathy Hochul and Congressman Brian Higgins today announced New York State has been awarded $500,000 in federal funding to further the state's efforts in combating targeted violence and domestic terrorism. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention grant program, will support the sustainment of Threat Assessment and Management teams in the City of Buffalo, Monroe County and Niagara County, as well as the development of a new team in the City of Troy. The creation and sustainment of Threat Assessment and Management Teams is a key pillar of Governor Hochul's Executive Order 18, which was issued in the immediate aftermath of the Buffalo attack and requires each county and the City of New York to develop plans to confront domestic terrorism.

"New York will never forget the ten Buffalonians who were senselessly murdered at the hands of a white supremacist, and we remain laser focused on confronting and eradicating the scourge of domestic terror," Governor Hochul said. "We are grateful for our local government partners, as well as federal partners like Congressman Brian Higgins, and this additional funding will help support threat assessment and management teams in Buffalo whose crucial work will help prevent future acts of domestic terrorism and targeted violence."

Representative Brian Higgins said, "Targeted violence is on the rise. In May, Buffalo experienced it firsthand, when a racist mass shooter targeted our community, killing ten of our neighbors and injuring three more at a supermarket on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. This grant will support the work of police and sheriff teams in Erie and Niagara Counties to assess threats of targeted violence and terrorism, giving the community and law enforcement more resources to detect and intervene in public safety risks. Thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Bray and Governor Hochul who pursued this funding, this is one of just 43 awards in the nation, delivering a half-million-dollars investment in New York's safety."

Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) teams are multi-disciplinary teams consisting of law enforcement, mental health professionals, school officials, and other community stakeholders and designed to assess and manage threats of targeted violence, including racially and ethnically-motivated violence. Already, New York State has committed $10 million in state funding to support the development of TAM Teams and these federal awards further bolster that commitment.

These awardees are as follows:

Since Executive Order 18 was first issued, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) has consistently worked with local partners from across the state to begin building TAM Teams. In August, the Division held a two-day summit at the State Preparedness and Training Center to provide counties with the guidance necessary for building a successful TAM Team and how to access their share of $10 million in state funding to support their development.

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, "This critical funding from our federal partners will be put to good use in establishing community-based solutions to address targeted violence and acts of domestic terrorism. We appreciate the partnerships we've built with local stakeholders in Western New York and across the state in developing and sustaining threat assessment and management teams."

The Division administers Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) grant funding on behalf of the federal government and will use its share to enhance statewide training initiatives to help stand-up additional TAM teams across the State, as well as conduct research and analysis on statewide trends related to targeted violence and terrorism prevention.

Funding for the TVTP grant program is provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education with funds to establish or enhance capabilities to prevent targeted violence and terrorism. The FY22 TVTP grant program has multiple priorities including implementing prevention capabilities in small and mid-sized communities and enhancing local threat assessment and management.

State Senator Tim Kennedy said, "This funding is critical, and will support continued efforts to address threats of domestic terrorism in Buffalo and Western New York as a whole - something our city and region deeply needs as it continues to heal from the massacre on May 14th. We remain grateful to Congressman Higgins and Governor Hochul for their strong commitment to public safety and strategic violence prevention through federal investments such as this one."

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, "My top priority as leader of the City of Buffalo is to create an atmosphere where its residents can thrive. My administration works every day to ensure Buffalo is a safe place to live, to work, and to visit. I thank Governor Hochul, Commissioner Bray, and Congressman Higgins for being allies in this endeavor."

Buffalo Police Department Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said, "This funding is a welcome addition that will help facilitate more involvement within the department as well as help continue the wider information sharing group in Western New York. Combined with the recently announced Threat Management Unit in the department, we continue to maintain and improve the safety and security of the City of Buffalo. Today's announcement will greatly assist the Buffalo Police Department in that mission."

Troy Mayor Patrick Madden said, "With a diverse residential population, and as home to the largest private not-for-profit university in the region with students from more than 48 states and 28 countries, it is vital that the City of Troy have the tools needed to address domestic terror and targeted violence. Thank you to Governor Hochul, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Tonko for their leadership to secure this important financial support. This funding will provide needed resources to allow the Troy Police Department and partner agencies to continue their work to identify and proactively address threats, especially those that are racially and ethnically-motivated."

Troy Police Chief Dan DeWolf said, "The Troy Police Department is grateful to DHSES for being chosen to receive funding and support for the creation of a TAM (Threat Assessment Management) team. The need for collaboration and problem solving across many disciplines for the purpose of identifying potential violent threats by an individual is paramount in making our communities safer. The Troy Police Department has a robust relationship with its county mental health department (RCDMH), Samaritan Hospital Crisis unit, School Resource Officers and District Officials as well as the many service providers in our area. This funding and support will be especially useful in enhancing our current practice so that we can create an effective team and intervene before violence occurs."

Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said, "Monroe County is appreciative of these federal funds, and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NYSDHSES), that will not only sustain our Threat Assessment and Management Teams here at home, but will allow for development of similar programs across our state and region. We take great pride in leading the way in this arena with the creation of the Rochester Threat Advisory Committee (ROCTAC) three years ago and setting the standard for excellence as we build out this model across New York, encouraging other communities to adopt it. We must all put this critical infrastructure in place; lives depend on it."

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said, "Domestic terrorism is a stark reality in our country, as we saw here in Buffalo on May 14. Stopping these individuals from targeting citizens is essential to safer communities and the Threat Assessment and Management Team will help to identify and neutralize these dangerous people before they can act. This federal funding will help Erie County and communities statewide to prevent future domestic terrorist attacks."

The recent spike in domestic terror attacks represents one of the most pressing threats to public safety across the United States. In the last decade, domestic terror attacks and plots have tripled nationally. In 2021, there were 73 terrorist attacks and unearthed plots in the United States, including 38 white supremacist and similarly like-minded terrorist attacks and plots.

About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination, and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or visit our website.