Following several violent incidents on Chippewa Street last weekend, Mayor Sean Ryan said the city is taking steps to make the entertainment district safer, which include restricting vehicle traffic and increasing enforcement in private parking lots.
“Honestly, it's a decision that I've pushed for for years. If it's done correctly, it's definitely helpful, and it brings some order to the chaos, if you will," said Jay Manno, owner of Soho and Frankie Primo’s +39.
The street will be closed to all automobile traffic this weekend.
Ryan also expressed his concern about the impact of pregaming — consuming alcohol or other inebriating substances prior to arriving — and loitering in private parking lots while sharply criticizing the district’s broader culture.
“We want to have this successful entertainment district, but at Chippewa, what we have now is is a sort of a drinking fight club," Ryan said.
Manno, who has been on Chippewa for more than 30 years, disputed that characterization, saying the large brawl was not representative of most weekends on Chippewa.
“I would hazard a guess that Chippewa, for the most part now, is the safest and the cleanest it's ever been, or as safe and clean as it's ever been," he said.
Ryan said the city has spent more than $1 million in regular police time and overtime policing Chippewa over the past year. Manno argued that deploying officers earlier could prevent problems and reduce those costs.
“Right now, we're still policing Chippewa reactively instead of proactively, and then it ends up costing overtime and more men. If they set the tone earlier, it wouldn't cost as much," he said.
Manno also said bringing more entertainment and attractions downtown would draw a broader crowd and provide a needed boost to businesses in the district.
In addition to announcing safety measures the city plans to put in place this coming weekend, the mayor also broke his silence on the video clip that appeared to show Buffalo Police Deputy Commissioner Craig Macy shove a woman while responding to that fight. Ryan said Macy is being investigated in the same manner any other officer would, but he also responded to the question of why the deputy commissioner was present in the first place. He said it’s part of his administration’s plan to change how the police department operates.
“Becoming a police chief or deputy commissioner doesn't mean you get to sit at your desk, and people report to you on what's going on on the street," Ryan said, "so we've instructed our chiefs, our commissioners that they have to be out and they have to police from in front.”
The incident is still being investigated.
