Public Safety

“Everyday our community firefighters and police officers risk their lives to protect us. They deserve up-to-date technology, gear and other measures to keep them safe while protecting the public.” 

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Our local fire and police departments put their lives on the line to protect our communities from crime, fire, and other situations that threaten public safety. It is critical to protect and enhance programs that provide fire and crime prevention but also provide support for fire, and crime recovery efforts. Although we enjoy many beautiful historic structures in Western and Central Massachusetts, it also means they are more vulnerable to fire. And as the opioid epidemic continues to plague our neighborhoods, community policing is more important than ever.


Congressman Neal has long backed our community’s police and fire fighters and taken steps to enhance federal funding for them, including:  

  • Supported $450,000 in federal funding to help purchase 73 firefighter breathing apparatuses and seven intervention packs for North Adams
     
  • Helped secure over $1.2 million for Holyoke Fire Department used to hire 10 new firefighters. In addition, he supported a $200,000 grant used to provide those new firefighters with 50 new sets of gear
     
  • Supported $375,000 federal funding used to provide more police for Holyoke
     
  • Helped secure a $220,000 grant for Worthington Fire Department to update equipment and purchase a new tanker truck
     
  • Supported a $88,343 grant for Heath Fire Department to modernize their breathing apparatuses
     
  • Supported a $90,000 grant for Southwick Fire Department to purchase new technologically updated breathing apparatuses
     
  • Supported close to $150,000 in federal funds to expand communications and technology for the Springfield Police Department which would be used to increase police officer safety and technology efficiency
     
  • Supported and helped secure federal funding for a land transfer to make the Paul J. Fenton Public Safety Annex in east Springfield a reality, which allowed critical parts of the policing community including the police academy, tactical response unit, property division, and youth services to be housed