Funding Boost to Prevent Gun Violence

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the state will provide an additional $1 million to law enforcement agencies and community organizations in Erie and Niagara counties following a spike in gun violence over the Fourth of July weekend in both cities. This public safety surge will support additional targeted enforcement, intervention and prevention work in those cities through the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, SNUG Street Outreach program, and Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower), augmenting the nearly $13.8 million the state currently provides for those programs, which have contributed to the state’s significant progress in addressing gun violence outside of New York City since its pandemic-era peak in 2021. Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested more than $4 billion in public safety initiatives to drive down crime and keep New Yorkers safe.

“When I took office, I made a promise to do everything in my power to ensure safety and security across the state. Since then, we have enacted the strongest gun laws in the nation, passed common-sense reforms to make our streets safer, and made unprecedented investments in law enforcement and public safety,” Governor Hochul said. “Following an uptick in firearm tragedies in Buffalo and Niagara Falls this summer, I am doubling down on these efforts by surging public safety resources to strengthen partnerships that stop violence at its root, and support community-based prevention programs and proven anti-gun violence strategies. One act of gun violence is one too many, and I remain committed to strengthening efforts to make the Western New York community safer for all.”

The State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) administers funding for GIVE, a program that provides support to local law enforcement in 21 counties including Erie and Niagara to reduce firearm-related homicides and shootings; SNUG, a community-based initiative that uses a public health approach to reduce and prevent shootings: identify the source, disrupt transmission; and treat those impacted; and RISE, an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence, strengthening communities disproportionately impacted, and keeping young people out of the justice system through youth development programming, vocational training, mental health support, mentoring, and other programs.

DCJS will administer an additional $1 million dollars to support these programs as follows:

• $350,000 to Erie County and the City of Buffalo and $150,000 to Niagara County and the City of Niagara Falls to augment their current GIVE efforts. Law enforcement agencies including police departments, district attorneys, sheriffs offices, and probation departments in the Western New York region currently receive more than $8 million in GIVE funding.
• $200,000 to the Buffalo Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) providers engaging youth, split evenly among:

Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition, supporting Candles in the Sun, Full Circle, Unit Promise, RAW Tools Buffalo and Peace, Inc. ($66,666)

Open Buffalo, supporting Confident Girl Mentoring, Voice Buffalo, Omega Mentoring-Johnny B. Wiley and Project Mona’s House. ($66,666)

The Foundry, supporting Fruitbelt United, Galactic Tribe, Real Talk, Be Elite and MAP. ($66,666)

These RISE partners currently receive $2 million for their work, which has engaged 13,800 individuals over the past nine months. These organizations help young people and families succeed through youth development programming, mentoring, job training, mental health support and other opportunities for success.

The FY27 Enacted Budget sustains record-level investments for GIVE, SNUG, and RISE, and address the emerging threats of 3-D printed guns and DIY machine guns. Governor Hochul’s comprehensive approach to public safety also includes support for community-led public safety initiatives in the Bronx; firearm-injury-prevention screening; a statewide campaign to promote secure firearm storage and raise awareness about safe storage options and how to prevent firearm misuse and the new HOPE program for youth and families. This multifaceted approach recognizes the importance of providing ongoing support to communities that haven’t shared fully in the progress of reducing gun violence.

This builds on Governor Hochul's previous investments in programs to support mental health, build safe community spaces, and bolster youth development in Western New York, including:

• COMHPS (Community Mental Health Promotion and Support) Teams: The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) deploys paraprofessional wellness specialists to high-need communities for engagement, screenings, and emotional support. The Buffalo Urban League and Spectrum Health Services both operate COMHPS teams in Erie County.
• ReCAST Buffalo: Activated following the Tops tragedy in 2022, and supported by OMH, ReCAST Buffalo promotes community healing, resilience, and mental health awareness in Buffalo’s East Side and primarily focuses on Black African American families and youth impacted by community trauma.
• Unplug and Play: Governor Hochul has secured over $500 million in capital funding through her Unplug and Play initiative to support projects that expand access to safe, modern recreational spaces for families and young people. Through three signature programs — NY SWIMS, NY BRICKS, and NY PLAYS — New York will help build and renovate pools, community centers, and playgrounds in every region of the state, with a focus on underserved communities. To date, New York has already awarded over $360 million for Unplug and Play projects including over $23 million towards 12 projects in Western New York.
• Positive Youth Development: In Erie County, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) provides funding for 62 positive youth development programs, 28 youth sports education programs; and 3 programs that serve runaway and/or homeless youth.
• LEAPS After-School Programs: After-school programs serving pre-K through age 12; now serving 32,500 students at 253 sites in high-need areas across the state. In Erie County, OCFS awarded over $6.7M to 9 LEAPS sites serving over 680 children.
• Funding for Childcare: Under Governor Hochul the State has invested more than $11.85 billion in childcare over the past four years to expand access to childcare and improve affordability for young families. In just four years thanks to generous investments from the State, the number of children in Western New York receiving childcare assistance childcare subsidy increased by 153 percent. In addition to providing funding to reduce the cost of childcare for families the State has invested funds to increase the supply of childcare centers through capital funds, with a total of $16.7M for 8 projects in the region.

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Every community deserves the resources needed to prevent violence and respond quickly when challenges arise. This funding will strengthen partnerships in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, helping law enforcement and community organizations expand proven efforts to reduce violence, create opportunities for young people, and improve public safety. We are grateful for Governor Hochul's continued leadership and commitment to making these investments in communities across New York.”

State Senator Jeremy Zellner said, “The recent acts of gun violence in Buffalo and Niagara Falls are unacceptable and reinforce the urgent need to make public safety a top priority. While we have made significant investments and taken important steps to combat gun violence, we know there is more work to do to protect our communities and prevent these tragedies. I commend Governor Hochul for acting and delivering additional resources to Western New York. Addressing gun violence requires a united commitment from law enforcement, community organizations, and elected leaders, and this funding will help ensure we have the tools and resources necessary to meet this challenge.”

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “It is unfortunate the violence that occurred over the Fourth of July weekend in Buffalo and Niagara Falls has overshadowed the year over year drop in violent crime across the state. But progress is not always linear and Governor Hochul remains committed to investing in community programs to combat violent crime.”

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said,“Reducing gun violence and strengthening public safety is commonsense, good government. While we’ve made real progress in recent years through strong partnerships and proven strategies, even one act of gun violence is one too many. I thank Governor Hochul for this additional investment, which will support law enforcement and the community organizations doing the difficult work of preventing violence, mentoring young people and making our neighborhoods safer.”

City of Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino said, “As I said in the aftermath of the tragic deaths of two youths over the July 4th holiday weekend in Niagara Falls, we need to improve the social safety network and build family supports so that people understand that the use of a firearm is never a solution. Governor Hochul understands this and the funding being provided to our city for these various support programs reflects her commitment to help us eradicate the scourge of gun violence and hopefully some much needed healing for everyone impacted by these recent tragedies.”

City of Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said, “I thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to public safety in Buffalo. This additional funding will strengthen the partnership between state and local agencies, support proven violence prevention efforts, and give our police department and community partners more resources to help keep our neighborhoods safe.”

City of Buffalo Common Council Member Zeneta B. Everhart said, “I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for hearing the cries of our young people and residents and allocating this funding to go to the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention. This crucial funding will be used to provide community programming for our young people that is safe, engaging, and relevant. While many are focused on the negativity and what our young people are doing wrong, Governor Hochul is standing with me in making sure that we are addressing the root causes of their behavior. The East Side of Buffalo has continuously been counted out and overlooked, but no more. Thank you Governor for believing in the importance of the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention and for listening to the voices of our youth. Together, we will win!”