Broadband  |  2025-09-23

The City of Buffalo Partners with Verizon Business to Advance Public Safety Communications

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The upgrade includes 5G Ultra Wideband-enabled smartphones and tablets for improved field communication and data access.

The City of Buffalo, New York, the Buffalo Police Department (BPD), and Verizon Business have announced a comprehensive communications upgrade to enhance community service. This initiative provides city employees and police officers with advanced tools to improve operational efficiency and public safety.

For city executive departments, including City Hall, Public Works, and Parks, the upgrade includes 5G Ultra Wideband-enabled smartphones and tablets for improved field communication and data access. Updated routers and Mi-Fi hotspots will provide reliable, secure connectivity for mobile operations and temporary work sites.

The Buffalo Police Department will receive 5G-enabled smartphones pre-loaded with law enforcement applications, eliminating the need for personal devices and enhancing information security. Officers will also get connected laptops for in-vehicle data access and updated routers in patrol vehicles. A key feature is the Verizon Frontline Network Slice, which ensures mission-critical connectivity during high-traffic events or emergencies.

Frank DiPisa, Verizon Business government sales director for the Northeast, stated,

“We are proud to partner with the City of Buffalo and the BPD to provide them with the advanced communication tools they need to protect and serve their community. This comprehensive upgrade underscores our commitment to equipping public safety agencies with the cutting-edge technology required for modern policing. City employees and BPD officers will now have real-time information access, enhanced situational awareness, and secure communications.”

BPD Commissioner Alphonso Wright added,

“Critical communications are essential for our mission, especially in a city like Buffalo. Equipping our officers with advanced tools directly enhances our ability to protect and serve our quarter-million-plus residents. These devices help ensure that our officers can communicate seamlessly and securely, access vital information in real-time, and ultimately respond more effectively to the needs of our community, helping us fulfill our mission.”

This deal reinforces Verizon's existing commitment to the Buffalo community.