Congresswoman Laura Gillen joined village officials in Rockville Centre on March 11 to announce more than $1 million in new federal law enforcement funding to install high-grade police security cameras throughout the village.
The cameras are intended to help prevent and solve crimes by expanding surveillance capabilities for the Rockville Centre Police Department.
“In partnership with local leaders, I am proud to have secured more than $1 million in new federal funding for high-grade police security cameras throughout Rockville Centre,” Gillen said. “Our law enforcement know that crimes in one community don’t stop along the lines of another. And when incidents do occur, whether it’s a theft, a break-in, or an accident, they will now have the footage and means to get answers.
“These police officers work day in and day out, serving the families who call Rockville Centre home, including my own,” she continued. “They deserve to have every tool available to help keep our communities safe.”
Mayor Francis X. Murray hailed the funding announcement as a major boost for law enforcement in the village.
“It's a very exciting day for law enforcement in the Village of Rockville Centre, and that is due to our Congresswoman, Laura Gillen,” he said. “We're so grateful for her to help us out with policing, and we're so grateful that she is here with us today.”
Rockville Centre Police Commissioner Randy Dodd said the cameras would serve as a deterrent to criminal activity.
“Visibility is one of the strongest preventions in crime. Cameras change behavior. They discourage criminal activity before it begins. When criminals know they're being watched, crime goes down,” he said. “On behalf of the Rockville Centre Police Department and the residents we serve, I want to thank the congresswoman, the mayor, the deputy mayor and the Village Board of Trustees for always standing with law enforcement and public safety.”
Officials said the project will receive $1,031,000 through the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process as part of the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Technology and Equipment Community Project Funding program. Mayor Murray first contacted Gillen last year to advocate for the funding, which was later approved along with nearly $13 million in federal funding for community projects across New York’s Fourth Congressional District.
