November 1, 2018
From The O’Mara For Senate Campaign:
The Police Conference of New York (PCNY), a 25,000-member organization representing 200 police associations and seven regional police conferences regionally and statewide, has endorsed the re-election of State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) in the 58th Senate District.
Today’s endorsement is the second major law enforcement endorsement O’Mara has received this week. On Monday, the O’Mara campaign announced an endorsement from the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers (NYSTPBA).
The Police Conference of New York is one of the state’s oldest and most highly regarded police associations. It represents the interests of 200 police associations, seven regional police conferences and one retired police association, including the following associations within O’Mara’s 58th Senate District: Chemung County D.A.I.; Elmira Heights Police Benevolent Association (EHPBA); Hornell Police Association; Horseheads PBA; and Ithaca PBA.
Police Conference President Richard Wells, in a letter informing O’Mara of the PCNY endorsement, wrote, “The Police Conference of New York, Inc., founded in 1925, has as its objectives the protection of the interests of police officers, the sponsorship of legislation perceived to be in their best interest, and the giving of aid and assistance to police officers and police organizations. The Police Conference of New York is a highly regarded statewide group that represents the interests of 200 police associations, plus 7 regional police conferences and one retired police association, with a total membership of 25,000.”
O’Mara, who has long been noted for his strong support for law enforcement, welcomed the Police Conference support.
O’Mara said, “We can approve as many laws as we want, but without the daily courage and dedication of the police officers on the street it doesn’t mean a thing. The men and women of our local police departments stand as the first line of defense fighting crime in our neighborhoods. It’s personally gratifying and very meaningful when these officers express their belief in my understanding of the demands they and their families face, my commitment to their safety and well-being, and my strong support for providing the resources and laws necessary to allow them to do their jobs effectively. We can only thank them for their service.”
Throughout his tenure in the Senate since 2011, O’Mara has stood out as one of the Legislature’s most steadfast advocates of police officers, correctional officers, firefighters, first responders and the entire public safety and security community. He has sponsored or co-sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to combat the proliferation of meth labs and meth-related criminal activity; to ensure that law officers and their families receive the benefits they have earned and deserve; and to secure the state funding necessary to provide law enforcement agencies and officers with the safety equipment, modern technology and other resources they need to carry out their jobs effectively.
In 2014, O’Mara was appointed to the Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction and since then has successfully worked with his colleagues at the state, local and federal levels –on a bipartisan basis — to achieve the enactment of numerous new laws and significantly increased state funding which have strengthened the state’s awareness, education, prevention, treatment and enforcement strategies.
Find out more about O’Mara’s campaign for re-election on http://www.omaraforsenate.com.