Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard announces the Marine Unit has been awarded $40,000 in grant funding from the New York State Canal Corporation.

This grant will aid the sheriff’s office marine patrol efforts on the Erie County section of the 524-mile-long Erie Barge Canal system. 

Sheriff Howard said, “The Erie County Sheriff’s Marine Unit is responsible for patrolling parts of Lake Erie, Niagara River, the Erie Canal and other waterways along the over 90 miles of Erie County shoreline.  I believe our marine unit is instrumental in maintaining safe waterways by enforcing navigation laws and educating the boating public. This grant will provide us additional resources to patrol along the Erie Canal.”

The grant needs legislative approval and the county executive signature to accept the funding.