Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - After a chaotic week, the relationship between the Buffalo Police Department and residents of the city is tense, and under the microscope.
The Attorney representing Buffalo Police officers knows that after Thursday's incident that saw two officers charged after they pushed a 75-year old man who then fell to the ground and suffered a serious head injury.
"Optics are certainly something you have to look at, and that single event is going to be in everyone's mind," said Tom Burton, Attorney for the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association. "This event shouldn't change the fact that there's hundreds of people who go in to harm's way for the citizens."
Citizens groups who have been pushing for police reforms are using the moment as a way to get people in power to listen to their call.
"We're calling for the creation of an independent investigatory body," said Erin Carman, Co-Chair of the Buffalo Police Advisory Board. "We're also calling for revision of the BPD use of force policy… requiring de-escalation, mandating comprehensive reporting."
The Buffalo Police Advisory Board is one of several groups that met with Mayor Byron Brown over the weekend to discuss reforms to police policy. Carman said that one of the things she did not bring up was the idea of dissolving the police force, or defunding police, which have become rallying cries for some groups of protestors in recent days.
"Language is absolutely important," Carman said in noting the need for all parties to work together in solving many of the issues.
Though Burton said he is aware of the divide the images of Buffalo Police officers coming out in support of the two charged officers on Saturday created, but enough people though the charges were egregious enough to take that position.
"We completely disagree that this incident should be equated by prosecutors to the Achtyl circumstance that took place some time ago," Burton said.
