Facility Will Strengthen Emergency Response, Community Protection
The Town of Smithtown has officially unveiled its newly renovated Public Safety Command Center — an advanced hub of emergency management designed to elevate public safety operations townwide. Orchestrated and facilitated by the Department of Public Safety, this modernized center represents a major step forward in the town’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding residents, first responders, and public facilities with cutting-edge tools, real-time communication, and enhanced situational awareness.
“Thanks to the exceptional work of our Department of Public Safety, the Town of Smithtown now operates a state-of-the-art Command Center that is already making a profound impact on the safety of our residents,” said Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. “This upgrade has quite literally saved lives, particularly in our waterways, where our camera network has enabled water and ground units to quickly locate disabled boaters and swimmers in distress, and has provided critical support in law enforcement investigations throughout our parks. In emergencies where every second counts, the capabilities of this Command Center have proven invaluable.”
At the heart of the upgrade is a powerful network of more than 250 security cameras deployed across Smithtown’s parks, marinas, buildings, and open spaces. This system includes motion tracking, automated alerts in key areas, and License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, giving public safety personnel, and the responders they support, critical information the moment it is needed.
“I am extremely happy to see our new emergency operations center come online,” said Smithtown Public Safety Director Thomas J. Lohmann. “The upgrades to the technology in the room will allow us to serve the residents of the township more effectively, as well as being able to provide time-critical intelligence to our officers and partner agencies.”
These tools are not just for monitoring; they are actively saving lives. At the bluff, for example, cameras have repeatedly assisted water and ground rescue units in locating disabled boaters and individuals attempting dangerous swims between the bluff and Short Beach.
The renovated facility now gives dispatchers instant access to live video feeds, electronic doors, and alarm systems at town facilities, allowing them to provide precise, real-time intelligence to park rangers, fire marshals, harbormasters, and other responding personnel. This advanced situational awareness ensures that every response — whether to a fire, medical emergency, facility intrusion, or maritime incident — is faster, safer, and more coordinated.
The total cost of the project was $266,667, with $200,000 secured through a Congressionally Directed Spending Grant championed by the U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer.
Renovations and technology upgrades were completed in just five months through coordination across numerous departments. Construction was overseen by Tom Heester and Frank Musarra. The Deputy Director of Public Safety, Catherine Caillat, managed all grant funding, procurement, and execution from start to finish, while the project was completed, thanks to the technical expertise of John Gonzales, Tech Services – I.T. Security Coordinator, whose knowledge of security systems and IT design was essential to bringing the Command Center’s advanced capabilities online.