LaLota Presents Nearly $1 Million in Federal Funding for Law Enforcement on the South Fork

August 25, 2026 Press Release HAUPPAUGE, NY - On Tuesday, August 25th, Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County) presented two checks totaling nearly $1 million to Law Enforcement agencies on the South Fork. The $782,100 LaLota presented to the Southampton Town Police Department will upgrade technology within its Mobile Command Van to expand the department’s monitoring capabilities and communications during emergencies. The $206,751 he presented to the Village of Sag Harbor Police Department will support vehicle enhancements to give Officers reliable vehicles to carry out their duties. LaLota secured the funding for these municipalities through the Fiscal Year 2026 Community Project Funding Appropriations process, a discretionary process that allows Members of Congress to direct federal funding toward critical local projects. “Delivering nearly $1 million in federal funding to the Southampton and Sag Harbor Police Departments strengthens public safety while sparing local taxpayers the expense, which is exactly how I’m making sure Long Islanders send less money to Washington and get more in return,” said Congressman Nick LaLota. “Whether it’s quadrupling the SALT cap to cut the average Long Island family’s federal taxes by about $3,000 or bringing home $27.1 million for public safety, water quality and infrastructure projects across Long Island, I’m focused on my mission to make sure Long Islanders keep and get back more of their hard-earned tax dollars, while seeing those dollars put to work in their communities.” “ My district is completely within the First Congressional District, so every dollar that the Congressman brings home to us, to our local towns and communities, is a dollar saved by our taxpayers. Many people mistake these beautiful, bucolic communities on the east end as a place for the rich and famous, but those aren't the people who typically live here. The people who do certainly need this kind of support,” said Senator Anthony Palumbo. “Today's a major victory for our taxpayers. Long Island families send a tremendous amount of hard-earned money to the federal government, and today it's about bringing that money back home to New York where it belongs. These federal dollars directly lower the burden on local property owners. Instead of funding these vital upgrades through town taxes, we're utilizing federal money to protect our community,” said Town of Southampton Supervisor Maria Moore. “I want to thank the congressman for his continued support of the Southampton Town Police Department and public safety in general. And I thank him for allowing us to move forward with this project. Our command van is 25 years old. It's in very sound mechanical condition, and there is no reason to get rid of something that is old but working fine. So, what we plan to do is refurbish it and get equipment where we can serve the community better,” said Town of Southampton Police Chief James Kiernan. “These federal funds are important to us. They help bridge the gap so the taxpayers are not overburdened. And I just wanted to thank Congressman LaLota for understanding that and for showing support in Washington for the local municipalities and Law Enforcement,” said Village of Sag Harbor Mayor Thomas Gardella. “Maintaining a safe and reliable fleet is also one of the larger recurring expenses faced by a small municipal Police department. This funding will allow us to replace aging vehicles with modern, reliable Police vehicles while significantly reducing the financial burden that would otherwise fall directly on the taxpayers of the Village of Sag Harbor. And while Sag Harbor may be a small community, demands placed on our department are anything but small,” said Village of Sag Harbor Police Chief Robert Drake. Background: The funding is part of LaLota’s broader effort to bring federal resources back to Suffolk County. As the only Republican from the Northeast serving on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Nick LaLota delivered $27.1 million in Community Project Funding (CPF) for 15 projects across New York's First Congressional District through the FY2026 appropriations process. That total ranked third among all 26 New York congressional districts , demonstrating LaLota's effectiveness in bringing Long Islanders' tax dollars back home to invest in clean water, infrastructure, and public safety projects benefiting county, town, and village governments.