Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) held a press conference on Thursday, July 15, to announce that she helped secure $50,000 for violence prevention and interruption initiatives in Oneida County.

“We must ensure Oneida County remains a safe place for families to call home and thrive,” Buttenschon said. “We’ve made great strides in the county and across the Mohawk Valley to improve community safety but, like many other communities, we’ve seen an uptick in crime as pandemic restrictions are lifted. These funds will support local initiatives and programs aimed at curbing violent crime by taking proactive prevention measures. I’ll continue working to keep our families safe as we build back stronger from the unprecedented challenges we’ve faced over the past year.”

Funds that Buttenschon helped deliver to Oneida County can be used for services and expenses related to state and local crime reduction, youth justice and gang prevention programs. These measures could include community outreach, crime analysis, research and shooting or violence reduction programs.

“I would like to thank Assemblywoman Buttenschon for her commitment in doing all that she can to keep our community safe. With gun crimes at an all-time high in New York, it’s these initiatives that will help us as we think outside of the box in our approaches to stopping the violent shootings,” Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol stated.

“I commend Assemblywoman Buttenschon for securing funding to combat gun violence.I’m proud of the Utica Police Department, and the great, proactive work it does to keep our residents safe.The city will continue to invest resources, work collaboratively with its partners and build relationships with the community to reduce gun violence,” Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri stated.

“The Utica Police Department applauds the efforts of Assemblywoman Buttenschon for bringing much needed state funding to address gun violence in Oneida County. Collectively we look forward to discussing the best ways to utilize these funds with our law enforcement partners,” Utica Chief of Police Mark Williams stated.

“We would like to thank Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon for securing funding for antiviolence programs. A tremendous amount of financial resources are required to effectively mitigate the effects violent offenders have on neighborhoods and communities in general. The City of Rome will put these program funds to good use and appreciate the Assemblywoman’s continuing commitment to assist our cities to remain safe and secure for our residents,” Rome Mayor Jacqueline M. Izzo stated.