Sources have told WBFO News that Joseph Gramaglia is out as Buffalo Police Commissioner.
Gramaglia has served in that capacity since 2022 when he was appointed by then-Mayor Byron Brown. Prior to that, Gramaglia rose through the ranks holding several key positions including head of the homicide division, and later as a chief under then-Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
All told, Gramaglia has spent nearly 30 years in a Buffalo police uniform.
Gramaglia had been a major proponent of technology advancements for the Buffalo Police Department, but not always with success or lack of controversy. That includes ShotSpotter, a gun detection system that had detractors calling it ineffective. Eventually, the program was scrapped.
He was a visible face in the wake of the May 14 Mass Shooting at the Jefferson Avenue Tops Market. Gramaglia flew to Washington to testify in front of Congress about gun violence.
Gramaglia’s exit from city leadership comes as several other commissioners were shown the door since Chris Scanlon assumed the duties as acting mayor after Byron Brown’s early resignation. Commissioner of Finance Delano Dowell, Office of Strategic Planning Director Brendan Mehaffy, and Director of Real Estate Howard Grynspan have all either left or were asked to leave their positions.
Speaking to the media following reports of Gramaglia's exit, Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon said the move was made following a conversation between him and Gramaglia about the priorities and vision for the the police department.
Scanlon said he expressed a desire for the police to combat more "nuisance crimes" that would "improve quality of life" for residents and businesses. According to the acting mayor, that is when Gramaglia submitted his resignation.
Gramaglia will now revert to the rank of captain, still within the Buffalo Police Department.
In his place, Scanlon has announced Alphonso Wright as acting police commissioner. Wright most recently was the 1st Deputy Police Commissioner of Operations. Previously he had served as Chief of C District, which covers the city's East Side.
Scanlon said he will be submitting Wright's name to the Buffalo Common Council for them to vote on making him the permanent Buffalo Police Commissioner.
Gramaglia responded to the switch in leadership through a written statement Monday night, thanking his fellow officers and residents.
"This morning, I was informed by Acting Mayor Scanlon of his decision that he was moving in a different direction and that I would no longer be serving as the Buffalo Police Commissioner," wrote Gramaglia. "It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve the residents of the City of Buffalo and to work alongside the incredible women and men who make up the Buffalo Police Department.
He also went on to thank past city leadership, and harkened on his commitment to crime reduction initiatives.
"Public safety has always been my top priority. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the members of the department, in close collaboration with the community, we achieved historic reductions in violent crime and shootings – levels not seen in decades in Buffalo."
Gramaglia also thanked past city leadership.
"I am deeply grateful to Mayor Byron Brown for providing me with this opportunity and to the many law enforcement partners who work collaboratively to make our great City of Buffalo as safe as possible," he wrote.
