While Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says his thoughts and prayers are with friends and colleagues in the city of Baltimore, he is also taking proactive steps avoid similar unrest in Buffalo.
"The Police Department is undergoing additional training, additional bulletins for things that they should be on the lookout for. So we are in a perpetual state of training and readiness in this community," Brown said.
One step is to add a chief diversity officer to the staff at City Hall.
"We're working with the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo on a racial equity strategy, a racial equity task force to promote the importance of diversity and inclusion in our community."
The mayor says he also meets with members of the clergy on a monthly basis. If there are issues in the community, he says he and the clergy walk door-to-door to address residents concerns.