Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A citywide initiative aimed at strengthening relationships between patrol officers and residents in the neighborhoods they serve is officially underway in the City of Buffalo.
Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon officially announced on Monday the launch of the Buffalo Police Department’s new Foot Patrol Integration Unit (FPIU), comprised of four Lieutenants and 16 police officers that will be deployed throughout Buffalo with a clear objective - to walk every city street and actively engage residents.
The goal is to move beyond what historically has been enforcement-driven policing toward a model that centers on a consistent presence in the community, positive engagement and trust.
"This initiative isn’t about changing uniforms, it’s about changing relationships," said Mayor Scanlon during an announcement Monday outside the Broadway Market in the Broadway-Fillmore District of Buffalo. "A safer Buffalo is a more connected Buffalo, and the Foot Patrol Integration Unit represents a major step forward in how we engage with and listen to our residents, build trust and shape the future of public safety together. We’re not just relying on crime data or 9-1-1 calls anymore. We’re listening to lived experiences. We’re engaging our residents to be active participants in setting public safety policies, not just passive recipients of police services."
Scanlon says this is a smarter, more compassionate form of policing, and one he believes will serve as a model for the future in Buffalo and other cities across the country.
In developing the FPIU, Buffalo Police Department leadership partnered with professors at the University of Southern California and University at Buffalo who have provided research expertise, and helped develop a comprehensive community survey that will be a key component of officers’ engagement.
Residents will be asked to provide feedback about their safety concerns, experiences with law enforcement, and the kind of police and other city services they want to see in their neighborhoods. The partnering professors will also assist with organizing and analyzing the data, which will be used to determine the needs of Buffalos many unique communities and to tailor future policing strategies and policies.
"We are reimagining what it means to serve and protect in the 21st century," said Deputy Police Commissioner Patrick Overdorf on Monday. "With the Foot Patrol Integration Unit, our goal is to meet people where they are, walk their blocks, hear their concerns, and work together to make every neighborhood safer and stronger."
The idea of the Foot Patrol Integration Unit stemmed from the lessons learned during the unrest in June 2020, and the internal struggles officers have faced since that time, including mental health challenges and a surge in suicides within the department. Officials say the initiative is just as much about officer wellness as it is about neighborhood safety.
FPIU has begun as a pilot program and its level of implementation is based on community feedback and measurable impact.
Buffalo Police leadership are also exploring how the new unit can influence 9-1-1 response, and strengthen connections between law enforcement and mental health services.