Forbes magazine has ranked Buffalo 10th on its list of America's Most Dangerous Cities.
Detroit, St. Louis and Oakland top the list. Forbes ranked cities with a population of over 200,000 based on violent crime rates.
Using FBI statistics, Buffalo had more than 1,200 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Forbes noted that the city's crime rate has dropped steadily since the 1990's.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda says he takes issue with the magazine's characterization.
"Compared to 2011, violence in the city is down 17 percent. Last year, we were at a 10-year low in homicides," said Derenda. "We're doing pretty well. I believe Buffalo is a safe city."
The report did indicate that an aggressive crackdown on gangs reduced Buffalo's murder rate in 2011 to its lowest level in a decade. But it says the city's high poverty rate (30 percent) makes it difficult to lower that number.
