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Mayor Brown Announces Ninth Consecutive Month of Decrease in Violent Crime in Buffalo

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Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
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Homicide rate declines by 35%, while homicide crime solvability increases 88%

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown today reiterated information disclosed Monday, June 4th that violent crime in the City of Buffalo has continued to decline for nine consecutive months, including a 35% decrease in homicides.

“Since taking office, a top priority of my Administration has been improving our city residents’ quality of life, which includes the overall reduction in crime throughout Buffalo,” said Mayor Brown. “I commend the men and women of the Buffalo Police Department, along with Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson and his management team, for developing and implementing the various anti-crime tactics that have led to the continuing decrease in violent crime in the city.”

Overall, crime in Buffalo decreased in 2006 versus 2005 by 7%, but the City did experience a 32% increase in homicides and a 2% increase in robberies, two of the four crime categories comprising violent crime. In the two remaining violent crime categories, rape and assault, the figures decreased 5% and 1% respectively in 2006 versus 2005.

Importantly, since September 2006 and through May of 2007 all four violent crime categories – homicide, robbery, rape and assault – have decreased by 26%, again with homicides declining by 35%.

During the month of April 2007, for instance, violent crime in Buffalo decreased 33% versus the month of April in 2006.

"Violent crime continues to go down in the City of Buffalo,” said Commissioner Gipson. “We feel a number of new initiatives are responsible for the drop in crime and we are confident that the hard work of our dedicated police officers will continue the downward trend of crime across the city.”

Contributing to this dramatic decrease in violent crime is the Police Department’s Mobile Response Unit (MRU), which grew out of the Department’s 2006 Operation Strike Force. Functioning since mid-January 2007, the MRU has targeted violent crime, illegal guns, gang and illegal drug activity in various sections of the city.

Through June 4, 2007, the MRU has made 1,112 arrests, seized over $80,000 in cash, removed 64 guns from the streets and impounded 245 vehicles connected to criminal activity.

“We will not sit idly and let criminals think they can commit any type of crime and get away with it,” said Mayor Brown. “We have aggressively pursued a variety of anti-crime tactics, such as the deployment of the MRU and the future installation of video surveillance cameras, which have had an immediate impact on criminal activities in the city and will assist us further in reducing and preventing criminal behavior across the city.”

Earlier this week, Mayor Brown joined Congresswoman Louise Slaughter for the announcement of the successful House of Representatives passage of the COPS Improvement Act of 2007, which will fund the hiring of new police officers and upgraded anti-crime technology primarily in urban areas across the country through a grant process.

COPS Improvement Act funds were requested earlier this year by Mayor Brown to assist the Buffalo Police Department in its crime fighting efforts through the development and implementation of a surveillance camera system in the City of Buffalo (seeking $1 million in federal funds, with a $200,000 city match).

Mayor Brown stated,” While my Administration’s 2007-08 City Budget includes funding for adding 40 new police officers to the Buffalo Police Department – and up to 62 if former Buffalo Municipal Housing Police officers passed the recent police exam – we can certainly use federal assistance in adding new officers and improved technology to our Buffalo Police Department.”

And last Saturday, June 2nd, Mayor Brown’s first-ever “no questions asked” Gun Buyback program netted approximately 800 firearms from city residents in the one-day, eight hour effort.

“The City of Buffalo is moving in the right direction, from law enforcement to economic development and the stabilization of our fiscal condition, “ said Mayor Brown. “We will continue to enact the programs and policies that have had such a positive impact on Buffalo and we will also continue to examine other initiatives and best practices that can make our city even stronger and safer.”