On Saturday, July 8th, 1972, the Buffalo unit of the American Communist Workers Movement(Marxist-Leninist)ACWM(M-L) opened the William Z Foster Center on 850 Tonawanda Street, centered directly in the heart of the working class district of Buffalo known as Riverside. The purpose of this center was to serve the working class of Buffalo by providing a local point of revolutionary proletarian activity through the dissemination of revolutionary literature. The center also contained a library of revolutionary works and served as an excellent location for mass meetings.

The afternoon of July 8th, several members of the Communist Party of Canada(Marxist-Leninist) joined their American Comrades in distributing the first issue of the Buffalo Red Star, as well as a leaflet celebrating the opening of the center itself. Everywhere comrades went, they were enthusiastically received by the people of Buffalo, who were eager to buy the paper and warmly greet the community. Hundreds of copies were sold within only a few hours. While the communists were engaged in mass work, Buffalo Police began to harass them and tried to suppress their fundamental right to disseminate literature. In various areas of the city, the police attempted to stop the distribution of the revolutionary leaflet announcing the opening of the center and the sale of the first local communist newspaper in Buffalo. In the Cheektowaga area, Buffalo Police arrested one American comrade and arrested, deported, and turned over to Canadian authorities two Canadian comrades for taking part in propaganda work.

Saturday evening, close to 50 people from the Riverside community and other working and oppressed people from Buffalo and many fraternal comrades from Canada attended the grand opening of the Williams Z Foster Center, Revolutionary Propaganda Center of the working class. During the course of the meeting, police cars gathered in front of and down the street from the center and the police several times engineered various disruptions of the meeting by mobilizing and uniting with a handful of local fascist elements to shout obscenities and try to enter the center and disrupt the meeting. At one point an off-duty Buffalo Police Officer demanded to see a license permitting them to operate such a Center. Once the proper paperwork was presented, he retreated to join the other “off-duty” Buffalo Police Officers sitting in their marked and unmarked vehicles.

One police collaborator proceeded to go around to the back of the bookstore and pile his garbage on the back doorstep and set it on fire. Several American comrades quickly put out the fire and removed the collaborator from the scene. Immediately two uniformed police man, shouted “You are under arrest” to the two comrades who had stopped this arsonist, and physically assaulted the comrades. The comrades resisted this attack and the one officer pulled out his gun and fired a “warning” shot into the air. When this failed to cower the comrades, he pointed his pistol at one of the American comrade’s head. With the aid of fellow Buffalo Police Officers, they then jumped upon the comrades, kicking and finally handcuffing them.

By this time the rest of the more than 50 people who had been at the evening ceremonies rushed out to give aid, and several more comrades were arrested. One comrade in the back of the patrol car again openly defied their brutality and repression and led all comrades in the singing of the Internationale. Within a couple of minutes, several more police cars and several paddy wagons had arrived. However, their sirens had brought with them the attention of several hundred people from the surrounding community.

With a fist in the air, one comrade shouted, “Death to the American monopoly capitalist class! Long live the American working class!” A Buffalo Police Officer “ordered” him to lower his fist and refrain from shouting death to the monopoly capitalist class. He refused and a “warning shot” was fired. One Buffalo Police Officer put his pistol to the temple of the comrade and threaten him with death. The comrade kept his first high, shouted slogans and challenged the officer to carry out his threat. Then a pack of Buffalo Police Officers jumped on the comrade, arrested him, and charged with “inciting a riot” and second “second-degree assault.”

The police switched their tactics, and claimed to all that they were protecting the communist from the attacks of the “people.” One Buffalo Police Officer arrested one American comrade taking part in one of the dozens of mass demonstrations which were springing up all over the neighborhood led by comrades from both countries, claiming that if the comrade didn't want to get “protected” (i.e. leave the people and hide in the Center), then he would arrest the comrade, which he proceeded to do when the comrade refused to budge. This is what police call “protective custody.”

Within minutes news of the fascist attack has spread throughout the neighborhood. Two blocks away, a bartender and several customers were overheard denouncing the police for the fascist attack, and the spirit and evidence there, like that overwhelmingly shown in dozens of discussions with the people who actually witnessed this fascist attack, was that the police and no one else was responsible for the violence, and that the Center had every right to exist.

The American comrades quickly prepared for any other attacks that the fascist Buffalo Police and their collaborators might make during the night, and began to write a leaflet to be distributed the very next morning to the broad masses of the neighborhood, stating that the entire attack, the entire assault was planned by the Buffalo Police and that the arsonist collaborator was nothing more than a footman of the police. In doing so the American comrades would actively combat the propaganda that the police were mounting that the attack was:

(a) an attack of the “people” on the communists, and

(b) that they (the police) were protecting the communists despite the latter’s protests.

The Buffalo news media the very next day clearly showed their class basis in reporting word for word the hysterics of the police.

Buffalo City Court marshals, assisted by Buffalo police, and workmen hired by a landlord, evicted the National Committee to Combat Facism(NCCF), an arm of the Black Panther Party(BPP) from its rented headquarters at 299 E Ferry St on December 2nd, 1970.

Police and city marshals arrived at the building at around 10:30 a.m. with a court order for eviction signed by James Arkeilpane, the landlord, who claimed the tennants were three months behind on rent.

NCCF/BPP said they were on a rent strike because of poor condition of the building, citing rats, poor plumbing and bad lighting.

Captain Frank Piracci of the Cold Spring Station said the city marshals requested police to accompany them. Also at the scene was Captain Floyd Edwards, although he was on vacation.

No one was charged and Capt. Piracci said the weapons and ammunition that were taken for law enforcement's own protection. He said that the man in possession of the weapons was not in violation of the law.

299 E Ferry was demolished and an empty lot is in its place today.

Buffalo police and FBI agents raided the Black Panther headquarters located at 299 E Ferry St on the afternoon of November 11th, 1970. The police arrested Sherry Lynn Brown, 22, who was allegedly wanted on a fugitive warrant from Baltimore, and officers seized a small cache of arms and ammunition.

Officers who took part in the investigation and the raid include Buffalo Chief of Detectives Ralph V Degenhart, Special Agent in charge of the FBI in Buffalo Karl L Brouse, Detective Joseph Giambra, Buffalo Police Intelligence Unit Captain Kevin Harmon, Buffalo C District Detectives Anthony Bielli and James Reardon.

Buffalo police officers Joseph Ransford and Lawrence Manno of the Tactical Patrol Unit arrested Kevin M Blackford, 22, of the Black Panther Party, at gunpoint at 11 PM on September 8th, 1970.

Blackford was approaching the local headquarters of the Black Panther party and Citizens to Combat Fascism headquarters at 299 E Ferry St. Blackford carried a loaded bolt action shotgun and a bandolier with 18 shells across his chest. He was charged with possession of a loaded firearm.

Blackford was acquitted of the charges.

At approximately 8:30 in the evening of April 6, 1970, patrolling Buffalo police officers close to 476 Sycamore Street allegedly came under gun fire from a sniper positioned in the building. Reinforcements were quickly called in by radio to assist in suppressing the fire. Soon thereafter, between 10 and 25 officers entered the building to apprehend the suspected gunman. Complaints shortly received by the Commissioner Felicetta charged that several members of this squad burst unannounced into occupied apartments of the building and without justification beat the inhabitants severely, requiring hospitalizations in several instances.

Outcome

Commissioner Felicetta pursued his investigation of the complaints by assembling the names, 62 in number, of policemen who were on duty in the vicinity of 476 Sycamore Street on the night in question. Several days later, a few complainants were permitted to view photographs of the 62 officers. Apparently because of the age of the photographs, the resulting identifications proved untrustworthy. After further consultation with the complainants and discussion with Buffalo's Corporation Counsel, the Commissioner on May 27 issued a series of orders to his subordinate officers directing the 62 policemen to report to the police Academy in their usual duty dress at 6:00 p.m. on June 3, 1970.

The order concluded: "These arrangements are made for the purpose of staging a lineup so that identification can possibly be made in connection with an incident which occurred at 476 Sycamore Street on April 6, 1970. Because there is the possibility of resulting criminal prosecutions, you will notify each officer so ordered that he has the right to be represented by counsel and/or P.B.A. representative at this lineup. In addition, you will notify each officer that he is entitled to exercise all rights pursuant to the Miranda decision as set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court."

The police officers instituted a civil rights action, alleging that the lineup would deprive them of various constitutional rights. The District Court issued an ex parte temporary restraining order shortly before noon on June 3 enjoining the lineup. Commissioner Felicetta apparently agreed not to conduct the lineup during the suit's pendency, and on August 20 a permanent injunctive order was entered.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that a police commissioner could constitutionally compel 62 police officers to appear in a lineup as part of an internal investigation into misconduct, without violating their Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizure. The ruling notes: "The policeman's employment relationship by its nature implies that in certain aspects of his affairs, he does not have the full privacy and liberty from police officials that he would otherwise enjoy. So long as the actions of a policeman's superior remain within reasonable bounds, there can hardly be that affront to expectations of personal autonomy which marks the state's coercive power in the typical arrest case."

On May 7, 1970, police filled the student union with tear gas and twelve students were wounded by birdshot. Teargas was used to disperse 500 students gathered near Baird (now Allen) Hall.

"It felt like a war zone," says James E. Brennan, editor in chief of the Spectrum, UB's student newspaper, during the riot era.

"I purchased 10 gas masks for our reporters so they could work. The police were lobbing so many tear gas canisters. We put air conditioning units in the print offices of the Spectrum, because the police were shooting tear gas in the windows of the student union. We took the staff down to the basement, put the gas masks on, went up, turned the air conditioners on, aired out the offices and put out an extra edition."

Getting gassed, he recalls, "was like getting pepper thrown in your eyes. It had an acrid, sharp smell, worse than onions." At age 20, "you feel invincible. Until I saw kids lying on the floor in the student union with that birdshot in their skin. A year later the FBI cleared the Buffalo Police of firing a birdshot at protesting UB students.

On May 5th, 2,000 students from UB, Buffalo State College Canisius College, and local high school students were tear gassed by the Buffalo Police as they marched down Main Street toward downtown Buffalo. This was the first time teargas was deployed against protesters in Buffalo.

The marchers were protesting the invasion of Cambodia by the United States and the killing of four and woundings of ten student protesters at Kent State University. In addition to the four murdered at Kent State on May 4, two people were murdered and twelve were wounded at Jackson State on May 14th, six Black people were murdered and twenty were wounded in Augusta, Georgia, eleven students were bayoneted at the University of New Mexico, and twenty people suffered shotgun wounds at Ohio State.

At a rally on March 11, 1970 the Strike Committee at the University at Buffalo issued an ultimatum to the university administration: "meet the strike demands by 9:00 p.m. the next day or face the outcome of a War Council." The Strike Committee demanded that the Buffalo Police leave campus, unconditional amnesty be given to all protesting students and an end to the ROTC program at UB.

Acting President Regan announced that a phased withdrawal of the Buffalo Police would begin March 17 in response.

On Thursday, March 12th, 1,000-1,500 people attended a nighttime rally on campus. Mixed among the UB students were students from other colleges, high school students and other members of the local community. The War Council began when the rally convened at Clark Gym. Demonstrators burned a bed sheet painted to resemble the American flag and chanted slogans in support of North Vietnam. Protesters then began to throw rocks, ice and other items at police officers gathered nearby.

The protesters moved from Clark Gym to Hayes Hall where they confronted 200 police who were lined up in front of the building. Both sides jeered at and taunted the other before the protesters moved on to the Themis site. Protesters threw rocks at windows at the Themis site and were confronted by 75 police officers.

Approximately 1,000 protesters returned to Hayes Hall and again confronted the 200 police officers there. Rocks were thrown by protesters at already broken Hayes Hall windows, showering nearby police with glass. At this point, a number of officers charged the crowd and began to beat protesters, members of the Peace Patrol and non-protesting bystanders.

12 people were shot and 58 people were injured. Some received treatment from Student Health Services, while others were taken by ambulances to area hospitals. Six people were arrested.

Themis was a research project conducted by faculty from the Department of Physiology and was funded by the Department of Defense.

On Sunday, March 8th, 400 Buffalo Police officers arrived on campus and began around the clock patrols.

Acting President Regan claimed that he called the police "to protect the safety and rights of individuals on campus, guard university property and arrest any violators of the injunction."

The police presence on campus reinvigorated student protests. 2,000 students and faculty (some sources say as many as 5,000) marched in a peaceful protest of the police being on campus.

On Monday, March 9th, a number of schools and departments across the university, as well as faculty and students hold votes showing their opposition to the police being on campus. Some called for Acting President Regan to resign, while others refused to hold classes until the police leave. The same day 350 students hold a mock funeral for the university, equipped with a flag draped coffin.

On Tuesday protesters held a pig roast in the fountain outside Norton Union. "Pigs off Campus" and other similar sayings were spray painted on campus buildings.

On Tuesday, February 24th, protesters staged a sit-in of a UB men's basketball game in Clark Gym, causing the game to be cancelled.

The students were supporting Black athletes in their ongoing negotiations to reform the financial aid and recruitment practices of the Division of Athletics. Four months prior, eight Black members of the UB Bulls basketball team announced they were boycotting the team. The athletes presented a list of grievances and demands and claimed that some of the players were recruited under the false assumption that their financial needs would be provided for. The Basketball team boycott was ended two days later when representatives of the Division of Athletics meet with the boycotters and agree to a three point plan.

The Buffalo Police Tactical Patrol Unit (TPU) assisted Campus Police in clearing Clark Gym. However, at this time, Campus Police could not ask for assistance from outside police forces without authorization of university administration. In turn, university administration was to consult UB's Security Task Force, a faculty/student advisory group, before granting such authorization. It is unclear who called the TPU for assistance.

On Wednesday, February 25th, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally in Norton Union to discuss the Clark Gym sit-in. A spokesman for the Black athletes said they were happy with the progress of their negotiations with university administration.

After the meeting, a group of approximately 50 students decides to march to the President's Office in Hayes Hall and ask Acting President Peter Regan about who authorized the Buffalo Police to enter campus the previous night.

When denied a meeting with Regan, a number of the students threw rocks through his office window and then scatter. Some flee to Norton Union. Regan then called on Campus Police to arrest the rock throwers. Staged in Clark Gym to prevent another basketball game sit-in, Campus Police officers were wearing riot gear.

Campus Police proceeded to Norton Union and arrested three suspects.

The Buffalo Police TPU were called to help clear Norton Union of students.

On January 4th, 1970, The Avenue was raided by Buffalo Police. 94 people were kicked out of the bar, 11 people were arrested, and two lesbians were beaten up by officers.

The Avenue opened after another queer friendly space, The Tiki, which was located on Franklin and Tupper, was shut down. The owner of The Tiki, James Garrow, was denied a liquor license by the New York State Liquor Authority because he was arrested for allegedly "cruising other men." Because he was denied a liquor license, the Avenue became a gay “juice bar” and an underground center for LGBTQ people to meet.

However, the police raid permanently closed down The Avenue. Two years later it was demolished - the fate of many gay historic sites in Buffalo. The Avenue was replaced with the Frank A. Sedita City Courthouse, named for the mayor at the time, and is still standing today.

According to CRB complaint, RPD Officer Coriddi allegedly punched a civilian in the back, slammed a vehicle door on her legs, sprayed her with Cap-Stun for no reason, and slammed her head on the vehicle doorframe several times, and also listed the civilian's shirt and bra in the process. This happened while civilian's vehicle stalled and she was trying to call a tow truck.

Outcome

CRB and PSS exonerated the officer on some allegations of force, and found others unprovable. The CRB found that Coriddi did improperly tow the civilian's vehicle. "The CRB believes that Officer Coriddi's poor responses at the scene of the incident escalated the chaino f events taht occured. The officer poorly executed the use of Cap-Stun where verbal warnings could have been used." CRB recommended additional training, but it is unclear if this or any other disciplinary outcome was ever implemented.

According to D&C and Times-Union reporting, Mazzeo's charges, as summarized by the papers were that he:
allegedly Hit two suspects--an unknown man on Lake Ave. in October of 1988 and Timothy McNulty without justification on Monroe Ave. in June of 1990
allegedly Threatened Alonzo Jackson with a pistol on Joseph Ave. in January of 1990
allegedly Assaulted unknown men on at least two occasions in January of 1990 by placing his pistol against their heads and threatening to shoot them even though they were not resisting
allegedly Used a firearm in relation to a crime of violence in January of 1990
allegedly Embezzled more than $5,000 by being paid for working a 40-hour week but working fewer hours, often ending his day two or three hours early.
allegedly Embezzled and stole property worth more than $5,000 from the department and helped others to do the same

Outcome

Mazzeo faced a 40-year sentence and restitution of $1.05 million, but was acquitted

According to Davy V., Hasper has repeatedly harassed reporters

Justia shows Maura Hayes and several other officers as defendants in a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations against a prisoner

According to the D&C Anthony DiPonzio was shot in the head by Tyquon Rivera, a 14 year old Black Latino man, on Dayton Street in Rochester. DiPonzio was 24 years old at the time. He has been through rehab and remains on the RPD. Rivera denied shooting DiPonzio but was convicted. Rivera denied shooting DiPonzio again in 2016 at a Parole hearing.

Officer involved in "avoidable accident" according to police discipline database.

Outcome

Reprimands

According to "Channel 45 News" officer Timothy Luety is claimed to have let a female walk free after being arrested for aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree. Sources also say officer Luety blatantly violated the department’s general orders regarding issuing appearance tickets to individuals with bench warrant history. Long time partner of officer Luety was also quoted. Officer Shane DiSanto stated “Luety did nothing wrong. Who wants to sit all night at the hospital with these savages. Officer Pedicone is just a cheese eating rat. Ratticus Pediconeious!”

Officer Camilo was alleged as being unprepared for court testimony in an Officer involved shooting case. The testimony was alleged to be inaccurate and confusing. After an attempt by the Assistant District Attorney to correct the testimony, his testimony was again inaccurate and in fact incorrect.
Information to support allegation is a conversation with the Prosecuting Attorney, First Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Hyland and a copy of the transcript of Officer Camilo’s testimony.

Outcome

none found

On August 19th, 1968 FBI, U.S. Marshals and Buffalo Police entered the Unitarian Universalist church on Elmwood Avenue to arrest Bruce Beyer. Beyer had been seeking sanctuary against arrest for draft evasion in the church for publicly burning his draft card since August 8th.

Outcome

Eight of Beyer's supporters were also arrested after a brief altercation with the police and federal agents. This group, later known as the Buffalo Nine, were charged with assault. Beyer was charged with failure to report for induction and assault of a federal marshal. He was found guilty of two of three counts of assault and was sentenced to three years in prison.

On March 19th, hundreds gathered in Lafayette Square in Buffalo to protest the sentencing and burn an effigy of the presiding judge. When nine University at Buffalo students were arrested, the protesters moved to the UB campus.