BUFFALO (WBEN) - Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was joined by county legislators and others Tuesday to make a major announcement in regard to addressing the sharp rise of gun violence in the community.
"I am declaring gun violence to be a public health crisis in Erie County, and we are taking significant steps to address it," he said.
The executive order directs the commissioners of Central Police Services, Probation, Health, Mental Health and Social Services to form a task force to work with local law enforcement, including the Erie County Sheriff's Office and Buffalo Police Department, along with other anti-violence organizations and leaders, to prepare programs and initiatives that:
1. decrease gun violence among youth
2. increase funding to the programs specific to reducing gun violence
3. work with local law enforcement agencies to create strategies to reduce the amount of illegal firearms in Erie County
4. work with marginalized populations to provide education on gun violence, issues, and solutions
5. advocate for relevant policies that improve health in communities of color
6. support local, state, and federal programs that advance anti-gun violence initiatives
Poloncarz cited data from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services for 2020, showing that Erie County led all other New York counties in violent crimes committed with a firearm per capita.
"We're in last place when it comes to gun violence in New York State," said Poloncarz. "People talk about crime, and they don't think about what happens sometimes in their own community, but now Erie County is number-one in 2020 with regards to gun violence among all counties in New York State."
The county executive was asked about the rash of recent gun violence in Buffalo, including the tragic death of a 3-year-old boy who was caught in the crossfire, and whether forming a task force is enough action to deal with the escalating problem.
"Just because we take all these actions does not mean that gun violence is eliminated in Erie County," he responded. "There will be people, in all likelihood, shot in the City of Buffalo in the next week. There will be people who take their lives with a firearm in Erie County in the next month...
"Just because we take action today doesn't mean we're going to prevent all future crime, but not taking action would be shame on us."
