NEW PALTZ – Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-19) met Friday with local law enforcement officials to discuss the benefits of the “Invest to Protect Act,” pending bi-partisan House of Representative legislation to invest with the retention and training of officers in rural police departments.
“We’re here to discuss what I think are some of the most important work that I and my colleagues have done in these last few weeks,” said Ryan, of that pending crime legislation. “Our officers work selflessly with great risk to themselves and often to their families to just protect their communities and be there for us.”
A similar bill is pending in the Senate as medium and small police departments, the majority of departments in Ryan’s 19th Congressional district, struggle to finance their training and retention needs.
“This bill addresses that problem directly,” said Ryan, “providing funding for small and mid-sized police departments across all 11 counties in New York’s 19th District and across all congressional districts in the country.”
New Paltz Police Chief Robert Lucchesi welcomed the pending legislation that can help his department and others to benefit from it.
“It will also allow us to better train and prepare our officers what they encounter on the streets. This legislation is about rank and file officers and doing everything we can for them,” said the chief.
