The head of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association warned Tuesday that persistent staffing shortages, increasing retirements and weak recruitment are straining patrol operations and could contribute to a rise in crime in the city this summer.
Union details officers stretched thin
John Davidson, president of the Buffalo PBA, told WBEN that the department is operating with fewer patrol officers than needed, requiring higher-ranking officials to fill frontline roles and forcing many patrol assignments to be covered with limited personnel.
Davidson said the shortfall has affected shifts and special details, leaving officers to handle calls when they would otherwise be off duty. He said the shortage has disrupted supervisors and patrol staffing, and that the force is not recruiting at a level sufficient to replace personnel leaving the department.
Warning of a difficult summer
Highlighting the operational consequences, Davidson predicted a challenging season for public safety if staffing does not improve. He framed recent low-crime periods as the result of officers’ persistent efforts despite policy and staffing challenges, and said the current conditions represent a reversal of those gains.
"I know that certain people think I'm just guessing and then getting right. We've been saying for months, if not a year, at this point, this was going to happen... We do not have enough officers. We do not have enough supervision. We have too many retiring. We're not recruiting at this point."
Operational impacts and morale
According to Davidson, multiple command-level personnel, including chiefs and a deputy commissioner, have been asked to work details to support patrols — a sign of how limited the available patrol strength has become. He said four of the five station houses were reduced to answering only calls on a recent weekend, a sign that proactive policing and routine operations have been curtailed to manage demand.
- Short staffing: Persistent lack of patrol officers and supervisors.
- Retention and recruitment: Increased retirements and insufficient hiring.
- Operational strain: Command staff working patrol details; some stations limited to answering calls.
| Issue | Union claim |
|---|---|
| Staffing | Too few officers on the street |
| Supervision | Not enough supervisors; chiefs filling patrol roles |
| Recruitment | Hiring levels inadequate to replace retirees |
This account comes from union leadership and reflects concerns among rank-and-file members about workload and public safety. City and police officials’ responses to these claims were not included in the report. The union urged attention to staffing and recruitment to avoid further operational degradation as the city moves into the summer months.
