Buffalo Police Headquarters-asbestos-Buffalo

The current Buffalo Police Headquarters building was erected in 1937, and it serves as police headquarters for the city of Buffalo, New York. The police headquarters building is located at the corner of Franklin and Church Streets, and it includes office spaces, filing rooms, jail cells, firing range and garage. This building replaced the former police headquarters building, which was located at the corner of Franklin and Seneca Streets.   

Up until the late 1970s, asbestos was incorporated into dozens of building materials used during construction and maintenance procedures at Buffalo Police Headquarters. Asbestos-containing fireproofing was especially prevalent throughout the Buffalo Police Headquarters. This material was applied to the structural steel of buildings in order to protect it from potential fire damage. The application process typically produced large clouds of asbestos dust. Laborers and tradesmen hired to apply, remove or work in the vicinity of fireproofing materials may have been exposed to asbestos dust. Inhaling dust and particles from the application and maintenance of asbestos-containing materials placed workers at risk of developing serious health problems. Even those who were not in direct contact with asbestos materials remain at risk for the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer.  

Buffalo Police Headquarters has recently undergone construction and renovation projects. The majority of the renovations have been centered on the removal of hazardous asbestos materials from several areas of the building. More specifically, sprayed-on asbestos fireproofing was still present in the basement at the department’s firing range and the cold case filing room. Several sections of the fireproofing became loose and fell to the floor of the firing range. Upon an inspection of the building, additional asbestos materials were found, including asbestos-containing popcorn ceilings, block insulation, insulating cement and pipe covering.

In 2011, the Buffalo News reported that a former Buffalo Police officer suffering from mesothelioma will receive a settlement of $1.7 million from the City for his injuries caused by exposure to asbestos while working as a police officer.  The 44-year-old police officer, who joined the police force in 1994, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2008 and has undergone a number of surgeries, according to the Buffalo News. The mesothelioma attorneys who represented the police officer argued that there was evidence supporting the former officer’s claims that he developed mesothelioma after inhaling asbestos fibers while he worked in at least one city-owned building. “He had been stationed in the former precinct station house on Bailey Avenue, the old Theater Station that was located in a former Greyhound Bus station on Main Street and in Police Headquarters on Franklin Street. All three facilities contained asbestos, according to city officials.” (Cited source: The Buffalo News – May 4, 2011)

In the process of representing workers and their families, we have gathered a vast amount of information regarding the type and variety of asbestos-containing products to which our clients were exposed. Our clients understand the importance of securing legal representation as soon as possible after a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you or a loved one served as a Buffalo Police officer and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, please contact us regarding your legal rights.