Common Council member urges police to explain 'recent decision,' asks chair to set meeting in September

An unnamed Common Council member urged the chair of the City of Buffalo Common Council to schedule a meeting with the police department to explain a “recent decision on allowing someone to walk,” saying the issue is a “very serious matter” that affects public safety and transparency. The member said officials appear to be "trying to run off the clock so people forget" and called for a date to be set, proposing the month of September.

The council member said the council has a duty to residents and criticized what they described as repeated delays by law enforcement in reporting to the governing body. "For someone to be given simply a hand on the wrist and us not to hear from the police department why we say it's what he stated," the council member said. They added the council has been "very conciliatory" but urged firmer action: "I think you need to put a date down for the meeting and move forward on that meeting. If they show — if they don't show, I mean, I think that we allow the president that we've done all we can to make it visit, to cooperate with them." The transcript did not identify the chair's response.

The speaker framed the demand as an issue of safety and trust. "Because at the end of the day, you know, I'm sick and tired of hearing, all the excuses. We're the common council. We have a responsibility," the council member said, adding that residents are asking, "What happened?" and that the council should not be placated with partial information.

The council member also referenced a separate incident involving a "sheriff who hit the car," saying the sheriff's office came to the council a year later and provided what the speaker called incorrect information. "So I think we just have to punch back a little bit and on behalf of the citizens," they said.

A staff member later interjected with a procedural comment mentioning "tenant approved item 1 11, and 1 12" and "limited finance," but the transcript does not record a formal motion, vote, or any scheduling decision tied to the council member's request.

Discussion versus decision: the transcript records the council member's request and criticism but does not show a formal directive, motion, or vote to compel the police department to appear. The timing the speaker suggested — the month of September — was mentioned but no date was finalized in the provided excerpt.

The council member's remarks came in the meeting record as discussion; no formal action or vote is recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.