CARMEL- The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department will soon upgrade its vehicle fleet with two new motorcycles to replace aging Harley-Davidsons and a specialized inmate transportation vehicle for trips to and from the county jail.
Sheriff Brian Hess and Undersheriff James Menton appeared before members of the legislature’s Protective Services Committee requesting changes in the Sheriff’s budget.
The motorcycles will be bought with $65,000 in seized asset funds, the sheriff said, and used for traffic enforcement, special events and parades, emergency traffic control, and improved mobility in congested areas.
The purchase of the transport vehicle estimated to cost $100,000 results from a jail grant from the Dormitory Authority of New York.
Hess stressed that the purchases will have no fiscal impact on his 2026 and 2027 budgets.
The sheriff also received permission from the lawmakers to submit two grant applications—the first to the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office Community Policing Development Microgrant program to support a Hudson River Drone First Responder Mariene Patrol Rescue Pilot that would enhance the Sheriff’s Department’s ability with water rescues.
The second application approved allows the sheriff to apply for a $500,000 NYS Criminal Justice Services grant to purchase public safety technology equipment including security cameras, license plate readers and other technology infrastructure.
The grant does not require matching funds.
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