Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Former Erie County First Deputy District Attorney Michael J. Keane has officially assumed the role of Acting Erie County District Attorney following John Flynn's departure from the DA position at the end of March.
In an interview with WBEN on Tuesday, Keane spoke to the transition of his new role.
"I'm getting organized transitioning into the role, the job that John has been doing for the last seven plus year. But, I was a First Deputy District Attorney for all of that time and it's basically just continuing what John and I have already put into place for the last seven plus years and I'm excited for the new opportunity."
Keane mentions the number of violent crimes have decreased in the last several years throughout the county.
"The shooting incidents in 2023, last year, decreased by 38%, as compared to the previous three year average, shooting victims has decreased by 45%, like that's a significant decrease," said Keane. "And I think the main reason for that is our collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we've really done a good job of building and developing those relationships."
Keane mentions the progress being made was helped in part due to the GIVE (gun involved violence elimination) initiative, which has been in place for almost a decade.
"Essentially, it focuses on the four core elements, which is the people, mainly the top offenders in gun violence crimes, the places where they primarily occur, and intervening with our partners -- law enforcement and community-based organizations. I think that's a key reason for our success, essentially, the relationships that we built in the technology that we've been provided through the Division of Criminal Justice Services."
Keane says that due to frequent criminal law changes happening in New York State, it is beneficial for Erie County to have an Acting DA that knows the inner workings of the office, especially someone with the knowhow to carry out the day-to-day operations.
"Our office has changed significantly to deal with those changes. We've added 22 lawyers in the last seven years. We are now staffed at 111 lawyers. We also added another 23 support staff, the changes that the legislature put in place like the discovery reform, for example. It requires us to get all of the documents that police agencies have, it requires us to get those documents right up front and disclose those to criminal defendants immediately.
Those changes have continued, they constantly are tweaking the laws in New York State, and we have to be able to adapt. And I think the experience and what we've learned in the last seven years is extremely helpful."
The main priority of the DA's Office remains the same: decrease violent crime. However, Keane mentions that the DA's Office will continue to work extensively with their 15 Victim Witness Advocates, social workers who help victims throughout the legal process and proceedings.
"We are one of the few District Attorney's Offices in the state that has that number of Victim Witness Advocates. The reason I mention those advocates is because it sort of highlights our emphasis on being the voice for and getting justice for victims. You know, the victims in the last few years have, I think, been sort of lost in the discussions about criminal justice reform and the one safe haven that they have is our office, the District Attorney's Office, that's why we we do what we do every day. We do it because of the victims of crime."
In addition, Keane wants to continue to continue to put emphasis on community involvement.
"Under John's leadership seven years ago, we started a community prosecution unit, where our lawyers and our support staff are out in the community volunteering, and we've built up tremendous relationships with community organizations. For example, the Buffalo Police Department's neighborhood engagement team. When we're out in the community, we build relationships. The people that are out in the community that live in neighborhoods where the most violent crime is committed, they get to know us, we build a trust, and then they're more willing to cooperate with us when we have serious cases that we have to investigate and prosecute."
Keane also addresses increase in car thefts.
"One of the things we just did was we just increased the number of attorneys that we have focusing almost exclusively on stolen cars," says Keane. "We're going to really continue to emphasize the investigation and prosecution of those cases. When someone gets their car stolen, they feel violated, they're victimized, they didn't do anything wrong. They want their car recovered, they want justice and I think it's important that we can continue our emphasis on you know, pursuing those cases."
Michael Keane is the official endorsed candidate of the Erie County Democratic Committee to fill the Erie County District Attorney position. He will most likely be challenged by James Gardner, the Erie County Republican choice candidate for the election in November, who was officially endorsed in late February.
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