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Traffic Checkpoints May Be Over For Now

By Mark Scott

Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo police department's chief of patrol, Larry Ramunno, says any future traffic checkpoints on busy inbound routes will have to be approved by his office.

Ramunno says that should bring an end to the traffic nightmares that have plagued the city for the past couple of days.

This latest directive builds on one issued by Police Commissioner Rocco Diina on Tuesday that called for supervisory approval for such checkpoints. But that apparently wasn't enough to prevent a checkpoint on the inbound Kensington Expressway Tuesday night that tied up traffic for miles, forcing hundreds of Buffalo Sabres fans to arrive late for a game at HSBC Arena.

Eyewitnesses reported major tie-ups on the inbound Kensington Wednesday morning. But Ramunno denied that was the result of a traffic checkpoint. He said a police cruiser had pulled over a motorist for running a red light.

Officers began stepping up their enforcement efforts at the police union's direction last week. At issue is their ongoing pay dispute with the city as well as a perception that the media are unfairly covering the department.

On Tuesday, Commissioner Diina apologized for the inconvenience the traveling public experienced.

But police union president Robert Meegan responded there's nothing to be sorry for.

Still, it appeared the officers sworn to protect and serve may actually have caused some harm Tuesday night. An ambulance on its way to a local hospital on the inbound Kensington was caught in the massive traffic jam.

And said one traveler, "Meegan and his unions members are acting liked spoiled children who aren't getting their way."