BUFFALO (WBEN - Brendan Keany) - County Executive Mark Poloncarz was joined by several local enforcement officials, including District Attorney John Flynn and Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood, to announce a partnership to help combat gun violence.
With $80,000 of Erie County funding, rewards to people who offer tips about firearm-related crimes will be increased, and a new Stop the Violence billboard campaign will be initiated.
"Erie County put $80,000 in a line for the Central Police Services to be used to assist Crime Stoppers in solving crimes in our community," said Poloncarz. "We are greatly increasing the amount that is available as a reward for tips that lead to that lead to the prosecution and conviction of an individual associated with a gun crime - up to $7,500 for one tip."
The DA also announced his support for the billboard program, as he pledged funds to assist the efforts of Crime Stoppers.
"From my asset forfeiture money that I get in my office, where I basically am taking money from drug dealers, I have the ability to give some of that money back to various organizations for certain programs," he said. "I'm announcing that I'm giving Crime Stoppers $10,000 toward their billboard program, which will basically be billboards across Western New York with the tip numbers on there and a message from Crime Stoppers to call in."
The efforts are certainly aimed at easing the gun violence in the city, Poloncarz says that this is a county-wide initiative.
"While this is is targeted to solve crimes in the City of Buffalo, if you offer a tip to Crime Stoppers to assist us in the conviction of a crime, whether it occurs in the City of Buffalo, the Village of Springville or the Town of Amherst, if it's related to gun violence, you are eligible to receive up to a $7,500 reward for the conviction associated with it."