The Suffolk Crime Analysis Center, one of 11 in the nationally recognized, one-of-a-kind network funded and supported by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services in partnership with local law enforcement agencies statewide will be expanded, receiving nearly $1 million from the state to triple the center’s size and double the number of professionals who respond to requests for assistance and provide investigative support that helps local law enforcement agencies solve, prevent and reduce crime.
“Public safety is my number one priority — and this expansion enables law enforcement to share intelligence, analysis and support to identify hotspots and crime patterns that help them work smarter,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The intelligence-sharing and coordination facilitated by these centers allows law enforcement agencies across the State to focus resources where they are needed most, maximizing our ability to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Located at the Suffolk County Police Department Headquarters in Yaphank, the Suffolk Crime Analysis Center is more than triple its original size: 5,000 square feet compared to 1,700 square feet when it was first established in 2019. The Center now accommodates seating for 45, up from 16, and features a state-of-the-art, 24-foot-wide, 4.5-foot-high video wall. The Center is staffed with crime analysts and law enforcement personnel, funded by State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS); the Suffolk County Police Department; the county’s District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, and Child Protective Services; Nassau County Police Department; the New York City Police Department; MTA Police Department, the New York State Police; the New York Air National Guard; the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program.
“Crime analysts play a critical role in supporting law enforcement investigations,” New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said. “At our Crime Analysis Centers, these professionals work with local, state and federal law enforcement personnel who share their knowledge and expertise and leverage technology to access information and data that results in a more targeted, strategic approach to solving and deterring crime.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Resources like the Suffolk Crime Analysis Center are imperative to collecting and sharing crucial data with our law enforcement partners so that together, we can solve crimes more quickly and prevent future incidents.”
The Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Hempstead police departments are among the 28 police departments and other law enforcement agencies in 21 counties that receive nearly $36 million through the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative to reduce shootings and save lives. Those three Long Island agencies collectively reported double-digit declines in the shooting metrics GIVE agencies are required to report to the State. When comparing last year to 2023:
- Shooting incidents with injury declined 39% (44 v. 72).
- The number of individuals injured by gunfire decreased 35% (59 v. 91).
- There were six fewer individuals killed by gun violence, a 38% decrease (10 v. 16).
Preliminary index crime reported by police agencies on Long Island showed a 7% reduction from January through September 2024 compared to the first nine months of 2023. Violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) decreased 4% and property crime (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft) declined 7%.
Last year alone, staff at the Suffolk Center received 30,010 requests for service – nearly a quarter of the 130,928 total requests received by the network – and assisted 70 different law enforcement agencies with cases ranging from hit-and-run crashes to murders. An executive board of directors oversees the center, composed of officials from DCJS, the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and Shelter Island Police Department, which represents the Suffolk County Chiefs of Police Association.
“Suffolk County’s number one priority is to keep our communities safe,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. “As host to one of the largest intelligence centers in the state, we further our commitment to public safety through the implementation of advanced technology and allocation of necessary resources for our local law enforcement agencies to effectively investigate and deter crime.”
Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring added, “The Crime Analysis Center is a great resource that brings representatives from law enforcement agencies together in one location, allowing for easy communication and shared resources. By having the technology in this center, along with analysts identifying trends and patterns, we are furthering our mission of solving and deterring crime.”
“The expansion of the Suffolk Crime Analysis Center (CAC) is a great step towards transparency and collaboration with all our law enforcement partners,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said. “The CAC is a vital support system for the men and women in law enforcement and who are out in the field day in and day out putting their lives on the line for the citizens of Suffolk County. Having representatives from multiple organizations in the same room sharing intelligence in real time is the key to effective policing. There is no replacement for communication, collaboration and the open flow of information between all law enforcement agencies. It is a key to success.”
“The expansion of the Suffolk Crime Analysis Center is a strategic investment in public safety and will further improve the effectiveness of law enforcement operations,” Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. said. “By increasing staffing and expanding the center’s footprint, Suffolk County law enforcement agencies will be better equipped to coordinate intelligence, streamline investigations, and bring more criminals to justice.”