BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo police detective is accusing Buffalo Public Schools officials of obstructing investigations into allegations of child abuse and sexual assaults of and among students.
Detective Richard Hy, a 13-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department who has been on the Special Victims Unit for the past two years, made the allegations on a Texas-based YouTube show called "Unsubscribe Podcast."
The 37-minute episode titled "Your Kids Are In Danger - SVU Detective Exposes Buffalo School System" was posted Saturday morning and has over 650,000 views and over 10,000 comments. It was being widely circulated in Western New York on various social media sites.
"The Buffalo school system has been intentionally not reporting the assaults of students, sexual assaults between students and then has also used, the Buffalo Police Department school resource officers to write reports and then had their influence over those officers," Hy said on the podcast. He accused attorneys for the school district of refusing to comply with subpoenas and also failing to cooperate with police in investigations.
Here's a link to the viral video.
A school district spokesman vehemently denied all of the allegations and released the following statement:
"The Buffalo Public School District is aware of unfortunate and untrue recent allegations circulating in an online video.
The district is prepared to vigorously address these untruths.
The district has prioritized the safety and security of its students and staff every day. BPS is the second largest district in NYS with some 60 schools, 30,000 students, and 7,000 staff and any transgressions that may happen are handled swiftly with seriousness, integrity, fairness, and empathy.
The Buffalo Public Schools maintains a close and professional relationship with the Buffalo Police Department as a means to ensure that safety is a priority."
The Buffalo Board of Education held a special meeting on Monday and responded to the allegations, saying it will conduct an independent external investigation.
"The Board of Education takes allegations about the well-being of our students seriously," said Board President Dr. Kathy Evans-Brown. "The BOE is initiating an independent external investigation and the results will be shared publicly."
The board is not allowed to comment on any ongoing investigations; however, three board members and Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams Knight said they do not know Hy and were shocked by what was said on the podcast.
You can watch our report on the meeting from Monday night below.
Saturday night, Hy spoke with 7 News Senior Reporter Maki Becker about why he decided to go public with his allegations. You can watch our reporting from over the weekend in the video player above and read more below.
Hy said he is aware he may face new disciplinary measures for speaking out.
"This is definitely a chance, but it's the right thing to do, you know," Hy said. "Since the videos come out....I've gotten a lot of calls and text messages from different people...different ranks in the Buffalo Police Department, outside the Buffalo Police Department...in local and national politics that are saying that they support me in my decision and that it's kind of hard to wag your finger at somebody who's calling out somebody for not protecting children."
Hy has made headlines numerous times in the past. He first gained notoriety for his "Angry Cops" social media videos in which he portrayed life as a police officer. In February, Investigative Post reported that the Attorney General's office had found Hy had been "repeatedly discourteous and unprofessional during encounters with civilians and escalated the encounters, including by using physical force."
A spokesman for the City of Buffalo did not provide a comment Saturday night.
John Davidson, president of the Buffalo police union, said Hy has the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association's support.
"Detective Richard Hy is a passionate detective in the Buffalo Police Department who prioritizes the wellbeing of the city’s most vulnerable victims. As a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and a Law Enforcement Officer he does not shy away from the work he does to maintain his physical and mental health. His most recent podcast shows his passion for the job and his dedication to his mental health. Detective Hy is a valued member of the Buffalo PBA and has our support."
The Erie County District Attorney's Office issued the following statement on Monday afternoon:
"The Erie County District Attorney’s Office is committed to the thorough investigation and prosecution of any crime against a child. We continue to handle any allegation of sexual assault, child abuse and tampering with evidence with the utmost seriousness. The District Attorney is aware of the statements made by a member of the Buffalo Police Department regarding the Buffalo Public School District in a recent podcast. While we understand these statements have raised concerns about the safety and well-being of children in our community, our office cannot comment at this time as to not compromise any potential investigation that may relate to those public comments. Additionally, some statements made during the podcast involve an ongoing criminal case, and our office does not comment on any matter currently pending prosecution."
A spokesperson for the Buffalo Police Department released the following statement:
“The Buffalo Police Department is aware of the concerns raised by one of our members regarding the handling of incidents involving student safety. We are committed to conducting thorough investigations to ensure transparency and accountability. While we are unable to comment on specific details due to pending investigations, protecting the safety and well-being of our community's youth remains a top priority. We will work diligently with all stakeholders to uphold the trust placed in us."
Some Buffalo School parents are reacting to the allegations. 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley spoke to two city parents. Edward Speidel, a parent advocate within the district, expressed his deep concern but admitted that he wasn't entirely surprised by the allegations.
“Are you surprised at what you’re hearing being reported?” Buckley asked Speidel.
“Not 100 percent," Spiedel replied. "There's a lot that goes on day to day. As you already know, I'm a parent advocate, so I get phone calls from parents all the time. I don't get sexual assault calls, but I do get assault calls, special ed calls — I'm not surprised at all."
Jessica Bauer Walker, another parent leader, also weighed in on the controversy. She co-chairs the district's Community Health Worker Parent and Student Association.
"We deal with a lot of difficult situations in our schools and with families in the community," Bauer Walker said. "Unfortunately, situations like this do happen. But there does need to be an investigation to know whether these are true or not.”
Bauer Walker noted the district has established systems and protocols in place for reporting and addressing such serious matters.
"Mandated reporting is a requirement designed to ensure that allegations of abuse are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly," Bauer Walker said.
On Monday, we took a closer look at two cases that Hy highlighted in the podcast. You can watch the report below and read more here.