In its recent editorial, The Buffalo News’ editorial board argued to keep the Buffalo Police Department in traffic enforcement. We respectfully disagree.
Debate raged Tuesday over Buffalo’s School Zone Safety Program that uses speed camera technology to enforce the 15 mph speed limit at 20 locations near schools in the city.
Please share these flyers widely with your networks about the City of Buffalo’s new programs to help drivers avoid costly fees and tickets: Fix-It tickets, Stop Receipts, and the Buffalo Motorist Assistance Program. Please share on social media and, if you’re able, please print these flyers and post them in your workplaces or public places you visit to spread the word!
Buffalo needs to end the speed-camera enforcement of its School Zone Safety Program, according to a coalition that’s pushing the city to curtail the use of ticketing and fines, an Erie County official, a local academic on urban affairs and a resident who conducted an independent review of the program.
Peter Rizzo is a certified urban planner, certified fraud examiner, and certified government auditor — so, he has a little bit of experience looking at best governmental practices.
Buffalo City Traffic Court is being investigated by lawmakers, which could lead to hundreds of violations being dismissed. The focus is on allegations of a hearing officer acting as prosecutor, judge, and jury.
Following news this week that the Buffalo Police Department is disbanding its traffic division, a local coalition of advocates for defunding the police are calling for the city to stop police enforcement of traffic altogether.
Just this week the Fair Fines and Fees Coalition found out:
Only 11% of Buffalo patrol officers are issuing stop receipts in compliance with Mayor Brown’s executive order
68% of BPD traffic stops were Black drivers, only 19% of stopped drivers were white
We need a public database of all stops, both traffic and pedestrian, which the Common Council has tabled and not reintroduced
Using just 9 school speed cameras, the City is pulling $1.25 million per week from our community members, which is 91% of what NYC makes off 750 cameras
The City is trying to balance its budget by issuing 5000 tickets a week for driving 26 mph in school zones
Infrastructure like speed bumps, chicanes, lane narrowing and other slow street design is the way to make our streets safe, not cameras, tickets or policing.
Join us on Friday to demand that city leaders take action to make traffic safe by design, not by discriminatory enforcement!
