ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County Sheriff's Office is proposing to enter an agreement with University Psychiatric Practice, Inc. (UPP) to provide services for the county's Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT).
According to a memorandum obtained by 7 News, the partnership aims to “mitigate future risk of violence.” UPP psychiatrists — with forensic and clinical training — will offer voluntary evaluations of individuals being investigated by BTAT.
"After BTAT detectives identify an individual who may be on the pathway to violence but has not yet committed a crime, the most we can presently do is strongly encourage them to seek psychiatric care," the memorandum reads. "With this agreement with UPP in place, we will now have the ability to offer them a specific and immediate resource that can provide an evaluation at no cost to the individual."
UPP will be compensated at a rate of $300 per hour, with funds allocated from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Police Services Division’s 2026 operating budget. No additional funds are needed for 2026.
BTAT was formed in the weeks after the racially-motivated mass shooting at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. The team is trained to recognize behaviors that could result in violence and works to prevent future acts.
