Page 8 - RR-2-26-26

8 • RIVERROCK T • Thursday, February 26, 2026
D District chief says officers’ concern is public safety

From page 1
City Hall and other downtown loca-
because an unmarked car was tions in recent months, does not in-
parked in front of a house and some- fluence whether officers are called
one was being arrested, but that par- to be present. “It’s just a safety con-
ticular incident involved a U.S. cern for those people in general.
Marshal Task Force from the down- That’s something that a lot of people
town Buffalo office. will probably not understand or just
“Somebody showed up there, assume that the people are, like,
trying to disrupt and protest, not harassing them just by being present
realizing it wasn’t ICE, it was a U.S. or by being around, but
Marshals Task Force and Buffalo realistically…every time I go to
Police officers, arresting two peo- something with my daughter or to a
ple,” he says. “I feel like there are sporting event, school stuff, I’m hy-
some situations where people are pervigilant in situations where
assuming just because someone’s in there’s a lot of people just because
an unmarked car they’re ICE. it’s my job and it’s my nature.”
There’s a lot of that going on.” He understands some people
As of early February, however, might equate a police presence at a
Chief Mordino says he hasn’t re- protest as a kind of harassment or
ceived any calls from residents con- intimidation factor, but “the realistic
cerned about ICE in which those Chief Mordino at a recent Rediscover Riverside meeting. aspect of it is we’re here because if
agents were found to be making something happens, you’re going to
arrests under federal orders. “My FBI does search warrants, they Police have to “be around” at be calling us immediately. We
lieutenants haven’t said anything to don’t tell us. We get called after protests for public safety on all sides might as well be around. We don’t
me about receiving calls like that. they’re executing the warrant to say His officers have been requested need to be breathing down your
They would’ve, especially since it’s ‘Hey, can we have a marked car to help provide a police presence at neck. We want to be around,” just as
such a hot topic right now.” over here,’ that’s just how it always protests downtown in recent there are more police officers
TINY’S SHOP Chief Mordino says there are has been. I feel like a lot of people months, as other chiefs will some- around sporting events to be watch-
& DEALER assumptions being made about the are worried about things, and they times call to request additional offi- ful of people driving intoxicated or
relationship between local police assume that we’re working with cers or just to notify other chiefs that other unlawful activities.
68 Churchill St., Buffalo -14207 and ICE agents. these other agencies hand-in-hand, there will be a large number of peo- After 18 years in law enforce-
In Business 9 Years! “We have no clue what they’re and that’s never been the case.” ple gathering in one location. ment, Chief Mordino says nothing
716-931-5873 - 716-563-6541 doing, ever. They don’t call us and He adds the Buffalo Police De- “We’re just going to be around, surprises him anymore. “If some-
All Auto Repairs start at $80 say ‘Hey, we’re going to go over partment does not have “access to just in case anything happens or in body wants to be mad that we’re
OIL CHANGE - bring your own here and do this,’” he explains. “In their systems. We can’t look up case we’re needed. We’re not trying driving around, I know what I have
oil & filter - $25 my 18 years as a police officer in the their (information). They don’t call to — there’s no reason for us to just to do and I know what my people
OIL CHANGE -we supply oil & filter city of Buffalo, I’ve never gotten a us for information, and we couldn’t be posted at some of these places need to do. If someone wants to be
- starting at $45 phone call from ICE or any federal do it anyway, because we can’t give unless there’s something going on mad about that, that’s the cost of
agency (like that). Even when the anybody information over the that we need to be. A lot of that’s doing business. I’m still going to
phone… The realistic part of it is we just for awareness and safety. What sleep good at night. I’d rather be
have no idea what they’re doing if somebody shows up there and safe than sorry… But we're not
ever. If we get called (to a house), something bad happens? We’ve got looking to just be posted at protests.
it’s because somebody saw some- to be around.” It’s people’s right. We’re here to do
thing. There’s a 911 call about The purpose or theme of the a job.”
something and we show up to that protest, as has been the case near
call, we’re investigating it like any
other call.”
If D District or other officers did
arrive at a home or other location to
respond to a 911 call on the suspi-
cion of ICE activity, they have to
follow a chain of command in order
to clear their actions before they can
move forward, including talking to
a lieutenant, watch commander and
the police commissioner. “They
have to make sure they know what’s
going on before they do anything,
make a decision. That takes some
time. Anything can be misconstrued
as, ‘oh, they’re working with them.’
Especially these days, we have
some really specific policies and our
administration is very focused on
making sure officers follow policy
and go through their chain of com-
mand,” Chief Mordino says.