Buffalo Officer Fired Over Death Threat

Buffalo Police Officer Ann Vanyo, while on duty about two years ago, allegedly threatened to kill a woman she thought was making moves on her boyfriend, who is also a Buffalo police officer.

An independent hearing officer who presided over the 42-year-old Vanyo’s July 23 disciplinary hearing ruled last week there were grounds for her dismissal and fired her.

The decision to fire Vanyo is extremely unusual, police and former PBA officials told Buffalo News .

“It’s extremely rare, no, almost unheard of, for an arbitrator to dismiss a police officer. There is a much heavier burden of proof on the employer to justify proving an egregious act or acts for termination,” a former police union representative said.

PBA President Kevin Kennedy said protocol for the disciplinary procedure was followed.

“You hate to see someone lose their job, but we followed what was agreed to,” Kennedy said.