Saratoga County Announces New Task Force

Saratoga County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Brown announced Oct. 29 the formation of the Saratoga County Trafficking Illicit Narcotics and Gang Enforcement (STING) task force. 

The task force will consist of members of the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, Saratoga Springs Police Department, Waterford Police Department, Mechanicville Police Department, South Glens Falls Police Department and Ballston Spa Police Department. It will expand the coordination and cooperation between member agencies to primarily investigate the illegal sale of street drugs as well as the involvement of gangs and criminal enterprises in criminal activity throughout Saratoga County. 

“I am proud to usher in a new era of collaboration in the fight against these serious crimes,” Brown said. “We’re seeing significant overlap among these criminal activities, along with an alarming increase in their sophistication. At a time when law enforcement agencies across the country are being asked to do more with less, coordination is essential. We must work together, share resources and intelligence, and ensure our efforts are complementary rather than duplicative. I’m grateful for the partnerships that make this task force possible, and I’m confident STING will be a critical tool in our ongoing efforts to protect the people of Saratoga County. To those who seek to victimize our residents: make no mistake, we will work tirelessly and together to hold you accountable and get you off our streets.” 

STING was approved by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors in July. 

“When Sheriff Brown came to me with this idea, I could not say yes quickly enough. As a career police officer myself, I know that criminals are not restricted by municipal boundaries,” Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee Chairman and Milton Town Supervisor Scott Ostrander said.  “Having a formal agreement for these agencies to work together will definitely have an impact on keeping our county safe.”