Suffolk County Crime Analysis Center gets major expansion thanks to state funding
YAPHANK, N.Y. — There are new tools to fight crime in New York with a major expansion of a crime analysis center on Long Island.
With $31 million in funding statewide from Gov. Kathy Hochul, the newly expanded Suffolk Crime Analysis Center is one of 11 centers statewide that connect 350 agencies.
"To the criminals out there: we're watching you"
The cavernous room at Suffolk County headquarters is home to a collaboration of analysts and investigators, gathered in one place to fight crime using hundreds of cameras, license plate readers and shared intelligence. Even bumper stickers can be tracked.
"To the criminals out there: we're watching you, we're united, we're cooperating," Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said.
It's a new nerve center that Suffolk officials call a game changer.
"To solve homicides and other violent crimes, as well as car thefts, dismantle organized retail theft rings and remove illegal guns from our streets. This work doesn't happen at this scope and scale anywhere in the country," said Joseph Popcun, executive deputy commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Friday, authorities tracked down the suspect in an armed gas station robbery without having to physically chase him.
"We were able to kind of triangulate the area that the car was in based on our hits from our cameras. They were then able to physically out on the street surround that individual," Suffolk Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said.
Suffolk County DA launches cold case webpage
At the same time, the Suffolk County district attorney has rolled out another tool: a cold case webpage, inviting public tips to help solve more than 200 unsolved murders, some going back to the 1970s.
"We learned from Gilgo, giving closure to those families, how important that is," Assistant Suffolk District Attorney Allen Bode said.
Officials say a more strategic approach to deterring and solving crime is making law enforcement smarter and safer.