The first phase of the City of Buffalo’s police reform agenda will go into effect Wednesday, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced at a press conference Monday.
Starting Wednesday, Buffalo police officers will be required to give a “stop receipt” to residents explaining why they were stopped.
Residents who are pulled over for vehicle equipment issues will now have seven days to get repairs, as opposed to the current 24 hour rule before a fine ticket is issued.
Brown said the city is requiring officers to provide an appearance ticket, and not make a custodial arrest.
“This is a big deal. This is new,” he said. “This hasn’t been happening and we’re going to make sure this happens.”
Brown said people pulled over will receive a hard copy receipt from police officers. There will be a database on the website for people to see, which will also include statistical data. Web updates on the reforms are available online.
Brown said the new reforms are designed to be transparent.
The mayor is calling on institutions across American society to begin looking at reforms that can be made. The mayor said these reforms will help make society more just and equitable to combat and eliminate racism.
“Today’s announcement shows the urgency required to address systemic racism in the City of Buffalo,” Brown said in a statement. "The time for action is now and my Administration is taking bold steps to ensure that black residents feel safe throughout our City. As I said during my announcement with community activists, clergy, block club leaders, police officers and others, this is the first of many steps that we are taking while also calling on every other sector of our community, from healthcare to higher education to media to philanthropy to banking to labor, to do the same.”
The city released the following information on reforms being implemented this week:
• Buffalo Police officers are directed to issue appearance tickets instead of handcuffing and transporting suspects for low-level offenses unless New York State law mandates an arrest or the individuals present a danger to themselves or others. Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood today issued General Order #2020-009 to officially implement the reforms.
• Stop receipts will be issued at all traffic stops. This means that a police officer, who approaches a stopped vehicle, must immediately tell the resident a reason for the stop and complete a form indicating that reason and the alleged violation observed which is then provided to the driver of the vehicle, onsite.
• Tickets issued for correctable equipment violations or “Fix-It Tickets” issued by the Buffalo Police Department will have a correction period of seven days, instead of the 24 hours provided by New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, for the motorist to repair the condition and avoid any penalties or fines.
• Buffalo Police Department Management created a new link to the Buffalo Reform Agenda on their and the City’s web pages to prominently display the Body Camera, Use of Force and Manual of Procedure policies, as well as the latest version of new forms, and the Police Commissioner’s general orders on all current updates to policing in the City of Buffalo.