'Concerning': Buffalo councilmember presses for answers after police staffing problems revealed

The city of Buffalo does not always have enough police officers to meet minimum staffing requirements, relying more and more on overtime to fill shifts. That's the result of a months-long investigation I revealed on Monday.

Now, a local lawmaker has questions.

Buffalo Common Councilmember David Rivera is chair of the council's Police Oversight Committee. He's reacting to the fact that police overtime used to cover minimum staffing requirements skyrocketed in 2025 to 2026 compared to the previous fiscal year. It was up 65%.

"It's alarming, it's concerning. You're dealing with public safety," Rivera said. "It's unfortunate that we haven't had a recruit class in the recent past."

The last police exam was administered by the city in 2023. Speaking to me Monday, Police Commissioner Erika Shields put the problem down to the subsequent three-year pause, explaining that the Buffalo Police Department now aims to recruit through the next available state police exam in April 2027.

WATCH: Buffalo councilmember presses for answers after police staffing revelations

Buffalo councilmember presses for answers after police staffing revelations

Rivera has asked the city's HR department to explain the reasons for the pause.

One person who might know is Rivera's fellow councilmember, Christopher Scanlon. He was acting mayor from October 2024 through December 2025 at the time of that pause. He was unavailable to speak to me Tuesday.

In the meantime, what about the council's role in all this? I asked Rivera whether this is something the council could have kept a closer eye on in the past.

"Well, we have a list, we have a current list that hasn't expired, that's still there until 2027," he said, referring to a list of people who have already passed the city's civil service police exam - the first step in becoming a police officer. "The question I have is why haven't we hired from that list?"

I asked the mayor's office if that list is exhausted but have not yet heard anything back on that subject. An HR representative is expected to discuss the matter at the council meeting next Tuesday.

A spokesperson previously sent the following in response to this story:

"We've been working since early in the year to advance several efforts to strengthen the ranks of the BPD, including moving to the state's biannual civil service exam to accelerate recruitment, working with Erie County to identify eligible candidates for our next academy class, and creating opportunities for experienced officers from across New York to join BPD through lateral transfers. We want to get more officers on the street while ensuring the men and women who serve our city have the support they need."

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