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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB News 4) has learned the entire Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team has resigned from the team.

That’s a total of 57 officers.

We’re told this is a show of support for the officers who are suspended without pay after shoving 75-year-old Martin Gugino.

They are still employed, but no longer on ERT.

We’re hearing from Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood on this announcement.

“As a longstanding member of the City of Buffalo Police Department, I know that our officers are fully committed to serving and protecting our community. While some officers have chosen to remove themselves from a voluntary assignment with the ERT, it is important to note that no officers have actually resigned from the police force,” Lockwood said. “I want to reassure our citizens that they will be protected in any peaceful gatherings that ensue and that our department remains focused on the security of our community.”

Mayor Byron Brown responded saying the city is aware of these resignations.

Here’s his full statement below:

“The City of Buffalo is aware of developments related to the work assignments of certain members of the Buffalo police force.  At this time, we can confirm that contingency plans are in place to maintain police services and ensure public safety within our community. The Buffalo police continue  to actively work with the New York State Police and other cooperating agencies.”

“If they resigned, I’m exceptionally disappointed by it because it indicates to me that they did not see anything wrong with the actions last night,” Poloncarz said after being asked about the ERT Team:

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Video After The Jump

Ariel Helwani reacts to TJ Dillashaw voluntarily relinquishing his UFC bantamweight title after being informed by the New York State Athletic Commission and the United States Anti-Doping Agency of an adverse finding in a test sample. Helwani also explains what the failed drug test means for Dillashaw and the UFC as he was also retroactively suspended one year by the New York State Athletic Commission and fined $10,000 for violations relating to use of a prohibited substance.

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Report via TMZ -- Both Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov are both effectively suspended for 6 months for their roles in the UFC 229 post-fight brawl.

Conor was hit with a $50,000 fine -- and will be eligible to fight again on April 6. 

Khabib's suspension is a little different -- he was hit with a $500,000 fine and a 9-month suspension ... with the ability to get a 3-month reduction IF he makes an anti-bullying video. 

Neither UFC star was present Tuesday when the case went in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. They each had lawyers appearing on their behalf.  

The board agreed to a 9-month suspension for Khabib -- with the ability to reduce the suspension to 6 months if they're satisfied with Khabib's PSA video. 

Khabib has about a month to complete his video if he wants to get the full 3-month reduction. 

The suspension is retroactive to the Oct. 6 incident -- meaning if his PSA video is approved quickly, he'll be able to fight again in April. 

Of course, Khabib went berserk after defeating Conor in the 4th round of his Oct. 6 fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas -- jumping out of the cage and fighting a bunch of people in Conor's corner. 

Khabib's cousin, Abubakar Nurmagomedov -- an MMA  fighter who was also involved in the brawl -- received a 1-year suspension and a $25,000 fine. 

It's also worth noting ... the committee issued a stern warning to fighters regarding pre-fight trash talk -- saying possible suspensions could be levied if the heated rhetoric continues.

Remember, Conor fired off several offensive barbs toward Khabib leading up to the UFC 229 fight ... saying Nurmagomedov was a "little rat", a "fanboy bitch" and a "backwards cunt."

Conor also went after Khabib's manager ... accusing him of being a terrorist who was pulled off a plane on Sept. 11, 2001 and detained by authorities.

It's obvious the committee wants to curb that kind of behavior in the future.

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San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr speaks to members of the media

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SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr on Friday announced the conclusion of an Internal Affairs investigation into racist and homophobic text messages sent by officers.

Suhr said at least one police sergeant and a captain were involved. "It just makes me sick to even talk about it," said Suhr. "Certainly to have a member as high ranking as a captain was particularly disheartening."

The texts surfaced a couple of weeks ago after former officer Ian Furminger was sentenced on federal corruption charges.

Former officer Ian Furminger

Fourteen officers in all were the subject of an internal investigation. Suhr says eight - including the captain - sent messages sickening enough to warrant immediate suspension and eventual termination.

Michael Robison - a gay police officer and 23 year veteran - resigned over the texts he shared with Furminger.

On Friday, Officer Michael Celis, a 16 year veteran of the force, announced he'd step down as well - a move that may help the officers keep their pensions.

"Those [texts] don't represent his views, they don't represent how he approached his work and his life," said San Francisco attorney Tony Brass, who represents Celis and Robison. "But he understands that the texts are incompatible with continuing his work as a San Francisco police officer."

In a statement, San Francisco Police Officers Association President Martin Halloran said, "These officers need to be afforded their due process... If these allegations are proven to be true... there is no place for this type of behavior within the San Francisco Police Officers Association or the SFPD."

The officers will go before the Police Commission, which will have the final say on whether to terminate them or mete out another form of discipline.

Critics on Friday called for reform in the department. "We have to vet officers," said San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, "so we don't have officers who hold racist views that are going to endanger not only themselves but the public, and also provide training on unconscious bias."

Suhr said the department recently restored a racial profiling class that had lost funding and plans to examine officers' backgrounds for warning signs.

"You have to assume that there could be more," said Suhr. "So we're going to look at their personal history questionnaires to see if there's some commonality that we hired somebody that we should've known that we shouldn't have hired."

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Video After The Jump

Protesters took to the streets on Friday, March 6, after a 19-year old black man was shot five times by police in Madison, Wisconsin.

Cops responded to a call that Tony Robinson had committed battery earlier. When an officer arrived at his apartment he said he heard a disturbance inside. The cop forced his way into the apartment and reportedly got into a struggle with Robinson. During the fight the unidentified officer was reportedly hit in the head. He then drew his weapon and fired.

Tony Robinson (right) was a recent graduate of Sun Prairie High School

Police Chief Mike Koval

"In the context of mutual combat in that sense, the officer did draw his revolver and subsequently shot the subject," Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said.

Hours after Anthony Robinson was fatally shot by a Madison police officer, his grandmother, Sharon Irwin (second from the right), and aunt, Lorien Carter (pictured with the megaphone), asked the crowd at Williamson Street to keep demonstrations peaceful. 

Police said they did not know if Robinson was armed, but initial indications are that he was not.

The officer on the scene administered CPR immediately after the shooting. Robinson was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

State law mandates that an independent investigation be conducted. MPD froze the scene until the state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation arrived,according to The Daily Cardinal.

"You're not protecting us, you're killing us!" Robinson's grandmother, Sharon Irwin, shouted at police as the protests continued into early Saturday, according to The New York Daily News.

Protesters chanted "Black Lives Matter" and "Justice!"

Robinson's aunt, Lorien Carter, said the family wasn't allowed to see Robinson's body in the hospital because it was considered "evidence." 

"He wasn't referred to as 'his son' or 'your son,' just 'evidence,'" she said.

Sources: New York Daily News, Associated Press,, Nico Savidge, Daily Cardinal

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