A representative for police employees told the Buffalo City Council Committee on Finance on Thursday that the Buffalo Police Department could lose dozens of supervisors and officers if the current medical memorandum of agreement (medical MOA) is not extended.

"If the medical does not get extended, almost 80 members will have really no choice at that point but to retire," said Mr. Davidson, representing the bargaining unit that submitted the letter discussed in committee. He said the retirements would be concentrated among supervisory ranks and that the department could lose about 20 lieutenants between now and next June.

Council members and HR officials pressed for timetable details. "There are so many moving parts," said Gigi Herndon Hill, commissioner of human resources. She said the city intends to hold an entry-level police exam in mid-February, which could produce an eligibility list and allow a recruit class to form by August; attendees noted that academy training and processing mean new officers would not be available to the street until later in the following year.

Union representatives said current hiring is not keeping pace with anticipated losses: "This year, we've only hired 12," Mr. Davidson said, noting that recent years saw larger classes. He and other speakers emphasized the medical MOA as a near-term retention tool; several council members asked administration staff to produce an analysis of the fiscal impact of an exodus on overtime and operations.

Assistant Corporation Counsel Lisa Yeager cautioned against discussing details that could interfere with bargaining but did not object to the committee hearing the staffing implications. Civil service and HR staff confirmed promotional lists exist for several ranks but said some promotional lists are small and that a lieutenant promotional list currently has only seven eligible candidates remaining.

"If we don't extend medical and we have 80 officers ... we will be losing 80 officers. Our department is currently somewhere between 7.30 and 7.50 members," Mr. Davidson said, using the department's internal headcount figures. (Transcript sources provide some numerical ranges; the committee asked administrative staff to provide an authoritative headcount and lists on the record.)

Committee members asked for the Buffalo Police Department's demographic breakdown, the number of officers on each promotional list and a projection of how many recruits the city can realistically seat and field next year. Human resources said it would provide dates for exam administration and a projected timeline for when recruits could graduate an academy class.

The committee closed public discussion and moved to table further action on the item pending follow-up. No public bargaining agreement was reached at the meeting; union negotiators and the administration indicated bargaining remains ongoing.