Orange County task force reports sharp rise in illegal gun recoveries

District Attorney David M. Hoovler this week detailed what he called continued success by the Orange County Drug Task Force, a multi-agency partnership that has shifted focus in recent years toward intercepting illegal firearms tied to narcotics activity. The task force, created in 2015, brings together the county District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments across cities, towns and villages.

The task force reported roughly 15 kilograms of controlled narcotics purchased during investigations spanning 2024 and 2025, including cocaine, fentanyl and heroin. Arrest totals held steady with 46 in 2024 and 47 in 2025. The most dramatic change was in firearms recovery: 31 recovered in 2024 and 79 in 2025, a 155 percent year-over-year increase that officials say reflects an intensified effort to disrupt the flow of guns used in drug trafficking and violent crimes. Vehicle seizures, meanwhile, dropped from 12 in 2024 to 5 in 2025.

Hoovler framed the link between drugs and guns succinctly: “Where we find drugs, we inevitably find illegally possessed firearms,” said District Attorney Hoovler. He thanked participating law enforcement partners and emphasized the task force’s role in interrupting supply chains of illegal drugs and guns to protect Orange County communities.

The partnership includes municipal departments such as the City of Middletown, City of Newburgh and City of Port Jervis police departments; town departments in Deerpark, Goshen, Montgomery, New Windsor, Newburgh, Wallkill, Warwick and Woodbury; village departments in Highland Falls, Goshen and Bloomingburg; and New York State Police units including the Special Investigations Unit and the Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VGNET).

For residents, the numbers carry practical consequences. A sharp rise in recovered firearms suggests a policing pivot that could influence where investigative resources and patrols are concentrated. Steady arrest figures alongside increased firearms recoveries raise questions about enforcement outcomes beyond arrest: prosecution rates, conviction patterns, sentencing, and how seized assets are handled by agencies. The decline in vehicle seizures may reflect tactical changes in investigations, differing charges, or prioritization choices.

Policy implications are clear for voters and civic groups weighing public safety and civil oversight. Multi-agency task forces can boost capacity and technical expertise, but they also create layers of coordination that require transparent reporting and civilian oversight to maintain public trust. Residents concerned about community impacts should press for regular public metrics on prosecutions, outcomes, geographic distribution of enforcement activities, and the use of seized assets.

The takeaway? Ask local leaders for clear, accessible data about what these operations achieve and at what cost. Our two cents? Attend a county meeting, ask how investigative gains translate into lasting community safety, and demand the accountability that keeps policing effective and fair.