HTN: Click It or Ticket Underway

The Memorial Day holiday means that police ae launching an aggressive, two-week seat-belt enforcement campaign across the state. The annual "Click It Or Ticket" campaign will have State Troopers and local police using stationary checkpoints and roving patrols as part of a nationwide seat belt enforcement effort.The enforcement campaign runs through May 31st.

HTN: Dashboard Cameras for Cops on Rise

The use of dashboard cameras in police cruisers is on the rise in our area. At least four local police departments, including the Town of Tonawanda and the State Police, are using dashboard cameras in their patrol cars. Officers say the cameras protect them from unfounded complaints of abuse. The Buffalo Police Department has yet to install the cameras.

HTN: Accused Falls Cop Due back in Court

A suspended Niagara Falls cop, accused of sexually assaulting two women and trafficking cocaine, will be back in federal court today. A judge is scheduled to decide whether 27-year-old Ryan Warme should be held in jail while awaiting trial. Warme's attorney has filed paperwork stating that his client did in fact have consensual sexual relations with the alleged victims while on duty.. Prosecutors say Warme used his position as a police officer to force sex on the women, bought and sold drugs while in uniform and gave law enforcement information to drug dealers. Warme has pleaded not guilty and has been in custody without bail since his arrest December 2nd.

HTN: Falls Officer Arrested

A Niagara Falls police officer has been arrested on charges he bought drugs while on duty and forced women into sex. Federal authorities say 27-year-old Ryan Warme's alleged actions include buying cocaine while in uniform two to five times a week from drug dealers. He is also accused of raping two women and threatening to kill one of the victims. Warme has pleaded not guilty and is being held pending a detention hearing on December 15th.

Apparent Suicide in Cheektowaga Jail

A man was found dead in his cell at the Cheektowaga Police Station early this morning less than an hour after he was arrested. Police said the man was arrested on Walden Avenue for assault and violation of an order of protection. He's been identified only as a 45-year-old Cheektowaga resident, pending family notification.

New Toys for Buffalo Cops

Buffalo Police now have new tech toys to use in the field. They can swipe the bar code on your license and pop up any prior citations on their mobile computers. They have electronic eyes on the hoods of their cars that can read up to five license plates per second to know if any of the vehicles have been stolen. And now patrols will be equipped with "pucks" that beam signals to global positioning satellites which will track where the cars are at all times.

Gowanda Officer Shot, Suspect Sought

A Gowanda police officer was shot Friday night. 34-year-old Jason Miller was wounded in the rib cage, but was protected by his bulletproof vest. Miller had pulled over to talk to a man walking along East Hill Street in Gowanda, when the man fled into the woods. Officer Miller gave chase, then the man turned around and fired.

Suspect Shot in Police Chase ID'd

Buffalo Police have identified the suspect shot by an officer during a chase Wednesday night as 20-year-old Lamont Williams. Williams was hit in the lower back, and is in serious condition at ECMC. Some neighbors questioned the shooting, but Commissioner Mac Gipson does not.

Data Restored to Police Reports

After complaints from the media, Mayor Byron Brown has ordered the Buffalo Police to stop deleting information from police reports. The Mayor says the decision to start removing the information was made by a lower-level police official. Media outlets had complained that the public has a right to know what is happening as far as city crime is concerned, and the Mayor agreed.

New BPD Recruits Take Oath

Twenty-one brand-new recruits were sworn in to the Buffalo Police this morning, bringing the total number of officers just above 800. Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson delivered the oath. After five months of training, they'll hit the streets early next year.

Drug Raids Result in Suspect Death, 20 Arrests

The man shot to death by a task force officer from the Niagara County Sheriff's Department has been identified. 43-year-old Marvin Sullivan was shot inside a bedroom at 202 Kay St., while he was with a 50-year-old woman who was one of the targets of yesterday's drug raids. The shooting is under investigation, but Niagara County Undersheriff Sam Muscarela thinks it was justified. Operation Third Strike, a joint effort by police and federal agents, spread out over the eastside of Buffalo Tuesday morning, with some 400 law enforcement officers rounding up suspects from a violent drug ring. Overall, about 20 suspects were picked up.

Hamburg Gets Free Jet Skis

The Town of Hamburg is using some new transportation tools on the water during the Fourth of July weekend. Yamaha has loaned two jet skis to the town police department. Hamburg Police Chief Carmen Kesner says the department did have to pay about $1,000 for a trailer and jet-ski covers, and the town will also be responsible for fuel costs.

Buffalo Officer Arraigned for Sexual Assault

Last December a 19-year-old college student charged that Buffalo Police Officer Monte Montalvo sexually assaulted her while he was working off duty as a security guard. Montalvo has been suspended and now has pleaded not guilty in State Supreme Court. He's due back in court later this month.

NT Standoff Ends With No Charges Filed

A North Tonawanda man with a gun barricaded himself in the garage of his parents' home Sunday evening. North Tonawanda's SWAT Team responded to Niagara Street near Pine Woods Park, where the man surrendered after two hours. The 29-year-old man was taken to Niagara Falls Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. No charges were filed.

On-line Crime Reports Considered

Buffalo's top cop is now considering an Internet initiative that would give residents access to neighborhood crime data. H. McCarthy Gipson told the Common Council yesterday that he's now looking into CrimeReports.com; earlier he had implied that participation would be too time-consuming for a department he says is understaffed.

Standoff Ends Safely

Police have identified the man with a gun who shutdown the 190 for almost three hours last night. He's 66-year-old James Gilchriese of Hernando, Florida. Buffalo Police Spokesman Mike DeGeorge spoke with Scott Leffler this morning on WECK.

Buffalo Officer Fired

Buffalo Police Officer Cariol Horne has been fired, handing in her badge this morning, afer departmental charges stemming from a police call in November 2006. Horne said she was punched in the face by officer Greg Kwiatkowski at a crime scene. Kwiatkowski claims Horne jumped on his back to stop him during an arrest.

SWAT Standoff in Buffalo

The Buffalo Police SWAT Team and hostage negotiators were called out yesterday after a Zelmer Street man barricaded himself on the roof of the house following an argument with his girlfriend. Christopher Wright reportedly cut himself with a knife while refusing to come down for some five hours. Eventually he was talked into surrendering and was taken to the hospital. Wright has a lengthy criminal record.