Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Buffalo Police Department has created a new detectives position within its Behavioral Health Team. The detective will primarily act as the lead investigator for all Red Flag Law cases, filing and following through on Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) as needed.
"The detective will be assigned to our Behavioral Health Team. They will receive all the training that our Behavioral Health Team officers receive," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia on Friday. "They will be responsible for threat assessment investigations, follow up investigations for any behavioral health, mental health issues that results in a crime or the possibility of a crime. They will also be the responsible detective in the department for any Red Flag investigations for the fulfilling part of the Governor's [Kathy Hochul] order on the expanding rules of Red Flags."
Working under the direction of the Chief of Detectives and the Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator, the detective will also act as a liaison with the District Attorney's Office, the court system, the recently formed Erie County Threat Assessment Committee, and community partners.
A requirement for the position is to undergo fully certified crisis intervention training, and continuously undergo further training related to threat assessment, mental health, behavioral health, addiction, and homelessness.
"We want to make certain that these detectives will be fully trained on the Red Flag laws. We're not looking to infringe on anyone's rights in any way, shape, or form, but we know that there are people that should not have guns because of a multitude of reasons surrounding being a threat to themselves or others. The more we are invested in following up on those investigations and making sure we're doing it right, then we can intercede in those situations and remove guns where they should be removed. There is due process with Red Flag laws, there's a judicial process that must be followed, and the more training we give this detective to follow through with that process, then we will ensure that due process is upheld and it is done correctly."
The Buffalo Police Department looks to fill this position in the coming weeks.
In addition to this new position, the Buffalo Police Department currently has a Lieutenant and Detective specifically assigned as a racially motivated hate crimes component working directly under the Commissioner of Police. Working closely with district detectives and other law enforcement agencies, the special investigators assist on all investigations where a racially motivated hate crime may have occurred.
"Having a full-time detective that can do this kind of monitoring and paperwork, I believe wholeheartedly, will make our city safer," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. "The racially motivated hate crime component, white supremacy, whatever, might be causing some extremists to attack our community, any part of our community. Having a component working with our district detectives, focusing on hate crimes certainly is also very important to the safety of our community. And as Commissioner Gramaglia said, you don't really anticipate something like what happened May 14 happening in your community, happening to your community. This new detective and the new racially motivated hate crimes component will make Buffalo safer, will make Western New York safer."
Hear more from Commissioner Gramaglia on the new detective position in the player below:
