How crime is becoming a central topic in the race for Buffalo mayor

Crime is now a central, controversial topic in the race for Buffalo mayor.

Current Mayor Byron Brown said he fears for the city under Democratic primary winner India Walton's leadership and her desire to defund the police.

AFTER MAYOR BYRON BROWNANNOUNCED HIS PLANS TO MOVEFORWARD WITH HIS WRITE-INCAMPAIGN.

HE SAYS HE IS FUELEDBY SUPPORTERS WHO DO NOT WANTTO SEE INDIA WALTON INOFFICE..BROWN: I HAVE ALSO HEARD THATTHERE HAS BEEN THIS TREMENDOUSFEAR THAT HAS SPREAD ACROSSTHIS COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE AREFEARFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE OFOUR CITY.

THEY ARE FEARFULABUT THE FUTURE OF THEIRFAMILIES.

THEY ARE FEARFULABOUT THE FUTURE OF THEIRCHILDREN."FEAR" IS A TERM WE HEARD ALOT FROM MAYOR BROWNYESTERDAY.

BROWN, SAYING THECITY WILL BE LESS SAFE IF HISOPPONENT WINS IN NOVEMBER.

BUTWALTON HAS BEEN QUICK TOCRITICIZE BROWN FOR THEVIOLENT CRIME HAPPENING UNDERHIS LEADERSHIP.

ACCORDING TOPOLICE... THERE HAVE BEEN 46HOMICIDES IN BUFFALO SO FARTHIS YEAR.... THAT NUMBER ISEXPECTED TO RISE... WHICH PUTSTHE CITY IN PLACE TOPOTENTIALLY BREAK AN ALL TIMERECORD, SET BACK IN THE EARLY1990'S.

7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER OLIVIA PROIA, HERENOW WITH THE HOT TOPICGRIPPING THE CAMPAIGN TRAI}} (00:00) (00:13) (1:10)CRIME - A NOW CENTRAL,CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC IN THERACE TO BECOME BUFFALO'SMAYOR.

CURRENT MAYOR BYRONBROWN SAYING HE FEARS FOR THECITY UNDER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARYWINNER INDIA WALTON'SLEADERSHIP& AND HER DESIRE TODEFUND THE POLICE.

BROWN:EVERY TIME SHE TALKS ABOUTDEFUNDING POLICE, WHICH WILLMAKE OUR COMMUNITY LESS SAFE,WHICH WILL MAKE OUR HOMEVALUES GO DOWN, WHICH WILLMAKE OUR CHILDREN LESS SAFE,THAT IS MORE TIME THAT PEOPLEARE CALLING US AND SHOWINGTHEIR SUPPORT FOR OURCANDIDACY.

LAST WEEK - WALTONTOLD 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS SHENEVER SAID SHE'D DEFUND THEPOLICE... AND AGAIN ON MONDAY.WALTON: I HAVE NEVER SAIDDEFUND THE POLICE.

I'M NOTSURE WHAT IT IS THAT HE'SGETTING AT.

YET THIS PRESSRELEASE, SENT OUT BY WALTON'SCAMPAIGN IN SEPTEMBER... SAYSQUOTE "WE ARE CALLING TODEFUND THE POLICE BY FUNDINGPROGRAMS AND AGENCIES THAT AREEQUIPPED TO HANDLE RAPIDRESPONSE CALLS THAT INVOLVEMENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCEUSE." SO WE ASKED WALTON...FOR A THIRD TIME... WHERE DOESSHE STAND?

WALTON: BEING ANACTIVIST IS FAR DIFFERENT FROMRUNNING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.WE KNOW THAT I NEED TO APPEALTO THE SENSIBILITY OF A LARGERAUDIENCE RIGHT NOW.

EXPLAININGWHAT WE MEAN IS THE STRATEGYTHAT I CHOSE TO TAKE DURINGTHIS CAMPAIGN.

DEFUND IS ALOADED TERM THAT NOT TOO MANYPEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

IT'S AMOVEMENT TERM.

IN ORDER TOBREAK IT DOWN, SO TO SPEAK, WESAY WE ARE GOING TO REALLOCATEFUNDING.

MONDAY - WALTON SAIDCRIME HAS*INCREASE* UNDERMAYOR BROWN'S LEADERSHIP...WHO HAS THE SUPPORT OF THEPOLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION.WALTON: WHAT I HAVE SAID ISPOLICE BUDGET IS AS HIGH ASIT'S EVER BEEN AND CRIME ISSTILL UP.

WE KNOW THAT THE WAYTO REDUCE CRIME THAT'S DATAAND SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN ISBY PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH MORERESOURCES.

ACCORDING TOBUFFALO POLICE, PART ONECRIMES DECREASED 16 PERCENTFROM 2018 TO 2019.

THEYINCREASED ONE PERCENT IN2020... AND SIX MONTHS INTO2021, PART ONE CRIMES ARE UP5.8 PERCENT.

BUFFALO POLICESAY THAT INCREASE IS DRIVEN BYMOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS ANDSHOOTINGS.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONERJOSEPH GRAMAGLIA SAYSSHOOTINGS AND MOTOR VEHICLETHEFTS ARE UP BECAUSE THEPANDEMIC PUT COMMUNITYENGAGEMENT ON PAUSE.GRAMAGLIA: THERE'S A LOT OFVIOLENCE INTERUPTION WORK DONEBY THE CITY, DONE BY THEPEACEMAKERS AND SNUG ANDVARIOUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.EVERYBODY WAS HAMPERED.

MAYORBROWN OFFERING TO DEPATEWALTON... BROWN: ANY PLACEANY TIME, ANYWHERE.

OP7EWN.SOME BUFFALO COMMON COUNCILMEMBERS LINED UP BEHIND