Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Department of Homeland Security to let Onondaga County use already-secured federal funds to enable the county join the Central New York Interoperable Communications Consortium, which will boost public safety. Onondaga County has asked the Department of Homeland Security for permission to spend $325,000 of already disbursed funding to reprogram public safety radios so that they can communicate with first responders in Madison, Cayuga, Oswego, and Cortland County. But, DHS refused to let Onondaga County spend the funds because the radios were originally purchased without DHS funding. "This is a classic case of red tape choking off a common sense solution that will promote public safety without costing a new nickel," said Schumer.
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