Buffalo Police Department Submits Reform Plan to New York State

In June of 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order that required every local government in New York State to submit a plan to reform its police departments. This Executive Order was issued in response to the protests and social unrest that had occurred this past summer and local governments had until April 1, 2021, to submit their plans.

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According to a report by WKBW-TV, the Buffalo Police Department submitted its plan to New York State on time.

The City of Buffalo convened a 14-person-panel to research and develop a plan that would allow the Buffalo Police Department to accomplish a few overarching goals. Those goals were to:

• examine current police practices
• improve the delivery of police services
• eliminate issues of police misconduct
• and mitigate violent crime that disproportionately occurs in the Black community and other communities of color

The ultimate goal of this reform plan hopes to result in a more equitable and safer city for everyone.

The 82-page reform plan calls for a series of changes to be enacted within the Buffalo Police Department. Some of those changes have occurred already, with some others pending. Some of those reforms include:

• Adjusting tickets for correctable equipment violations, otherwise known as “Fix-it tickets”
• Banning chokeholds from being utilized by Buffalo Police officers.
• Banning police “stop and search” based on the smell of marijuana alone.
• Establishing a Behavioral Health Team for on-site de-escalation.
• Passing the Duty to Intervene law.

You can read the full report here.