ALBANY, NY (WENY)-- After the Buffalo mass shooting in May, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order requiring state police to expand their use of the Red Flag Law, also called the Extreme Risk Protection Order Law. Monday, Gov. Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James announced a $4.6 million increase in funding to support extreme protection orders. 

“This is how we keep guns out of the hands of people who want to bring harm to others,” Hochul said. 

Red Flag Laws are a type of gun confiscation law. The law requires law enforcement and medical and mental health providers to petition the state court for an order to remove firearms from a person they believe to be in danger to themselves or others. 

They added funding will go toward hiring attorney's and staff, who can represent state troopers when they apply for an extreme risk protection order. 

Since Gov. Hochul's executive order, the state has issued more than 1,900 extreme risk protection orders. State troopers alone have applied for 339 orders, which is nearly three times the number of applications from last year, according to the New York State Police Acting Superintendent. 

“And that means guns are being taken out of the hands of dangerous individuals. And that means our commonsense gun laws are working. And most importantly, that means a potential life is being saved every single time," said Attorney General Letitia James.