Nearly $17.5 Million for Maine Law Enforcement and Public Safety Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $17,471,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades.  These projects were included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bills, which were officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today and now await consideration by the full Senate and House.

“It is critical that the men and women who make up Maine’s finest and bravest have access to the most effective equipment to better protect themselves and our communities,” said Senator Collins.  “This funding would improve public safety efforts and emergency response capacity throughout Maine.  As the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2025 CJS and THUD Appropriations bills—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.  Committee consideration of legislation is a key part of regular order, which helps our government function efficiently and deliver results for the people of Maine and America.     

Funding advanced by Senator Collins for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades in the FY 2025 CJS and THUD appropriations bills is as follows:        

Brewer Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Brewer Police Department  

Project Location: Brewer, ME  

Amount Requested: $256,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment. 

Cornish Public Safety Communications Equipment 

Recipient: Town of Cornish  

Project Location: Cornish, ME  

Amount Requested: $218,000 

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment. 

East Millinocket Public Safety Building

Recipient: East Millinocket Public Safety  

Project Location: East Millinocket, ME 

Amount Requested: $5,500,000  

Project Purpose: To construct a building for the East Millinocket first responders. 

Farmington Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Farmington Police Department  

Project Location: Farmington, ME  

Amount Requested: $240,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment. 

Hancock County Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Hancock County  

Project Location: Hancock County, ME  

Amount Requested: $2,300,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Hancock County. 

Lewiston Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Lewiston Police Department  

Project Location: Lewiston, ME  

Amount Requested: $2,073,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase protective gear and other public safety equipment. 

Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment 

Recipient: Somerset County Sheriff’s Office  

Project Location: Somerset County, ME 

Amount Requested: $294,000  

Project Purpose: To increase evidence storage capacity and purchase public safety equipment. 

Old Town Police Department Public Safety Equipment 

Recipient: Old Town Police Department  

Project Location: Old Town, ME  

Amount Requested: $235,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment. 

Cumberland County Jail Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Cumberland County Sheriff's Office 

Project Location: Cumberland County, ME 

Amount Requested: $77,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment. 

Portland Police Department Emergency Response Vessel

Recipient: Portland Police Department  

Project Location: Portland, ME  

Amount Requested: $325,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase an emergency response vessel. 

Rumford Police Department Public Safety Equipment 

Recipient: Rumford Police Department  

Project Location: Rumford, ME  

Amount Requested: $750,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.   

Veazie Police Department Public Safety Equipment 

Recipient: Town of Veazie Police Department 

Project Location: Veazie, ME  

Amount Requested: $75,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment. 

Waldo County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Waldo County Sheriff’s Office  

Project Location: Waldo County, ME  

Amount Requested: $381,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Waldo County. 

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Washington County Sheriff’s Office 

Project Location: Washington County, ME 

Amount Requested: $187,000 

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Washington County. 

Wells Police Department Emergency Response Vessel

Recipient: Wells Police Department  

Project Location: Wells, ME  

Amount Requested: $378,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase an emergency response vessel and related equipment. 

Wesley Volunteer Fire Station and Emergency Operations Center

Recipient: Wesley Volunteer Fire Department

Project Location: Wesley, ME 

Amount Requested: $2,520,000  

Project Purpose: To build a fire station and emergency operations center. 

Winthrop Public Safety Communications Equipment

Recipient: Town of Winthrop    

Project Location: Winthrop, ME  

Amount Requested: $1,162,000  

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment. 

York County Public Safety Communications Project

Recipient: York County 

Project Location: York County, ME 

Amount Requested: $500,000  

Project Purpose: To initiate a project to ensure interoperability for public safety communications equipment in York County.  

Earlier this month, Senator Collins advanced nearly $16 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine fire stations and emergency services in the FY 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending.  Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024.  As the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.  

###