© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Police militarization and perspectives discussed in Buffalo State forum

Michael Mroziak, WBFO

Members of the Criminal Justice department at Buffalo State College say it's a balancing act, protecting public freedom and safety while allowing police the right to protect themselves. During a forum hosted at the college Thursday, speakers discussed perceptions of police militarization and how they vary depending on time and place.

The forum, titled "The Role of Police Militarization in a Democratic Society," was hosted to coincide with Buffalo State's observation of Constitution Day. Speakers said there may be more scrutiny now about how the nation's police do their work than ever before.

"This is the basic paradox in a democracy. Freedom and liberty are ensured only if the government has the ability to interfere, on occasion, with freedom and liberty," said Dr. Scott Phillips, associate professor of criminal justice at Buffalo State. 

Phillips, during his part of the presentation, showed two photos of SWAT officers and armored vehicles. He asked the audience, "which one was Ferguson?" 

It was actually a trick question. Neither photo was from last year's riots in Ferguson, Missouri, but rather from mass shooting scenes in Colorado Springs and San Bernardino. That exercise led to discussion about the dilemma police face with imaging and public perception. 

Peter Carey, chief of University Police at Buffalo State, says in the modern era of terrorism, the days of being able to recognize threats by enemies in uniforms are over. As public safety concerns have evolved, so too have police tactics.

"Part of what drives that, and it is a basic premise in criminal justice, is the public's fear of crime, the public sense of not feeling safe in our own country," Carey said. "When you go to tourist attractions, when you're at bridges and tunnels, our public has a fear of crime and it's the police responsibility to address that fear of crime."

Also discussed was how a beefed-up police presence may stir feelings of security in some settings, such as a Buffalo Bills home game, and mistrust and tension in other settings, such as high-crime areas within the City of Buffalo.

There were no moments of heated debate. Students asked the speakers about educational strategies that may improve mutual understanding between police and the community. Amgler Moya, a Bronx resident and third-year criminal justice major at Buffalo State, told the panel that students like her have a responsibility to talk with peers who may immediate have negative feelings when seeing the appearance of police.

Moya says the community needs to better understand how and why police do what they do.

"I feel like just the appearance isn't enough. What are they doing that makes you consider them militarized?" she said. "You need more facts to back your statements up."

Chief Carey closed the forum by suggesting that one way the public can better understand police is to join them. He encouraged those in attendance to take a civil service exam.

forum_full.mp3
Hear Thursday's forum "The Role of Police Militarization in a Democratic Society" at Buffalo State College in its entirety. Speakers are Dr. James Sobol (chair of the criminal justice department at Buff State), associate professor Dr. Scott Phillips and University Police at Buffalo State Chief Peter Carey.

 

Michael Mroziak is an experienced, award-winning reporter whose career includes work in broadcast and print media. When he joined the WBFO news staff in April 2015, it was a return to both the radio station and to Horizons Plaza.
Related Content