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Buffalo council presses for police transparency, discusses subpoenas and independent review
Summary
Council members urged quicker answers about a police incident, discussed subpoena authority and referred requests for an independent probe to the state attorney general and governor.
At the Sept. 2 Buffalo Common Council meeting, several council members pressed for faster and broader review of a police response that critics described as a “travesty of justice,” and discussed using the council—s subpoena and investigative powers and seeking an independent review by the state attorney general.
The dispute centers on an incident in which a driver damaged multiple vehicles; the Niagara County district attorney handled the criminal case and the driver pled to a misdemeanor, council members said, and five officers who responded were placed on administrative leave. Council members said they remain concerned about who in the chain of command knew what and when.
"We need police, but we need good police," said Council member Hawaii, criticizing slow or incomplete disclosures about the incident and saying the community—s trust has been…
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