Buffalo’s Common Council majority leader says the city needs more than just extra patrols as violence rises heading into summer.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Common Council majority leader is calling for more support and resources as the city deals with a violent start to the summer.
Leah Halton-Pope on Wednesday said she supports having more officers patrolling neighborhoods during the busier summer months, but also believes the city needs expanded access to behavioral health services for both residents and first responders.
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“Now in these better weather months, I think that there’s value in having those officers on the beat,” she said.
“Again, I think there’s value in that, but also having more hours for behavioral health counselors on-staff as opposed to like 9 to 5, they need to be a little more staggered, and so I’m in support of whatever we can do to extend those hours to provide the extra support that both our citizens and our law enforcement officers need.”
Halton-Pope said the city is also working to expand summer youth programs to help keep kids engaged and off the streets while school is out.