Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) – City lawmakers are revisiting an Executive Order signed in 2020, and hoping to give Buffalo police officers more discretion when dealing with low-level criminal offenders.
Buffalo Common Council members are revisiting an Executive Order signed by former Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown that has resulted in police officers being limited with making arrests to those who commit low-level crimes in the city. Lawmakers are now seeking current Mayor Sean Ryan to amend of entirely walk back the measure, giving officers an increased ability to make an arrest with proper discretion and take criminals in for central booking.
“I would like to see the officers have discretion to be able to arrest, if they think that that is what is necessary,” said North District Councilman Joe Golombek. “I walk the district quite often, I’ve seen the police officers in action. And I’ve seen the disrespect from people when the police are interacting with them, because they know the police have no teeth. Whether it’s the kids that are on the ATVs that are weaving in and out of traffic, or whether it’s kids at the park or somewhere else in the community that are just absolutely disrespectful to the officers, because they know that there’s nothing they can do besides give them an appearance ticket. There needs to be consequences for one’s actions, and I think this gives the officers a legitimate tool.”…