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January 2008 > City Homicides Reach Lowest Level Since 2004

City Homicides Reach Lowest Level Since 2004

Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
Director of Communications
716-851-4841


Mayor Cites Specialized Police Tactics Contributing to Overall Reduction of Violent Crime

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced that homicides in the City of Buffalo reached their lowest level in four years at the conclusion of 2007.

According to Buffalo Police Department statistics, 55 homicides occurred in the city during 2007.  The city recorded 74 homicides in 2006 and 56 homicides in 2005.  The previous low was recorded in 2004 when 51 homicides took place in Buffalo.

“Since entering office, I have been determined to reduce crime and increase our residents’ quality of life,” said Mayor Brown.  “Through the excellent effort of the men and women of the Buffalo Police Department, the City of Buffalo has reduced violent crime in every category during 2007.  We will continue to employ creative tactical operations like the Mobile Response Unit and the deployment of state-of-the-art technology, including the current installation of the city’s surveillance security camera system, to ensure that law abiding city residents, business owners and visitors enjoy all that the city has to offer, free of concern about criminal activity.”

Violent crime continues to decrease in the City of Buffalo. Through November, all four categories of violent crime – Homicide, Rape, Robbery and Assault – are down by 13% collectively versus the first eleven months of 2006 (Note: all crime data is processed through Erie County, so the final 2007 statistical information for rape, robbery & assault is not yet available; the BPD, however, compiles all homicide statistics internally).

The city’s new 100 high-tech surveillance camera system is another tactic being employed by the BPD in support of other ongoing initiatives, including the ongoing and successful Mobile Response Unit, which is a specialized anti-crime unit that targets areas of high crime, illegal guns, gang activity and drug trafficking throughout Buffalo.

Since it began operations in January, the MRU has made 2,518 arrests, issued 5,743 summonses, impounded 644 vehicles, seized $178,921 in cash and removed 162 illegal weapons from the streets.

The number of guns seized by the MRU is in addition to the 878 illegal guns that were removed from Buffalo streets in one day in June during the City’s No Questions Asked Gun Buyback effort.