BUFFALO (WBEN) - On Monday morning, Mayor Byron Brown held a press conference at City Hall to further explain the implementation of the first wave of police reform in Buffalo.
NOW: @MayorByronBrown announcing the implementation of the first phase of the Buffalo Reform Agenda - he says the first round of actions will take effect starting this Wednesday. @NewsRadio930 pic.twitter.com/EPopzpJ45g
— Brendan Keany (@BrendanKeany)
June 22, 2020 - Officers are directed to to issue appearance tickets instead of handcuffing and transporting suspects for low-level offenses unless New York State law mandates an arrest.
- "Stop receipts" will be issued at all traffic stops. When an officers approaches a vehicle, he/she must immediately explain the reason for the stop and complete a form indicating the alleged violation, which will be provided directly to the driver.
- Tickets issued for correctable equipment violations will have a correction period of seven days as opposed to 24 hours for the motorist to repair the condition and avoid penalties or fines.
According to Brown, the actual implementation of these reforms will begin this Wednesday, and he believes these actions will provide residents with safer and more transparent interactions with the police department.
"In Buffalo, along with other cities across the nation and globe, people have come out to proclaim that Black lives matter," said Brown. "Those large crowds are comprised of a mix of people, including many white people, who are joining with Black men and women in the call for racial equality. This kind of broad-based support around a single issue rarely happens and therefore demands that we make the reforms and changes that so many of us are calling for.
"As we continue to roll out the actions, which have been set forth in this agenda, it is important that we do this both inclusively and quickly," Brown continued. "The time for reform is now, and we are implementing these actions with thoughtfulness and speed that this moment demands. Black people have waited long enough for change, and delaying action is only delaying racial justice."
The city has created a new link to the Buffalo Reform Agenda to display the Body Camera, Use of Force and Manual of Procedure policies, as well as the latest versions of the new forms.
