Paul Russell

The Partnership for the Public Good is working to build a more just, sustainable and culturally vibrant Greater Buffalo through action-oriented research, policy development and citizen engagement. With over 270 affiliated partners, PPG develops an annual Community Agenda of policy planks, hosts a weekly radio show, and produces publications and other resources to give the nonprofit community and citizens a stronger voice in public policy.

Work Highlights

Contributed to a report about implementing community-oriented policing locally with the Buffalo Police Department. Researched best practices about how other municipalities have implemented this strategy with success.

•  Assisted in conducting over 2,000 surveys of Buffalo community members to gather their input on community and police relations.
•  Researched different funding and administration systems for a public finance system for city elections in Buffalo.
•  Updated brief publications that provide a snapshot of information about Buffalo demographics with regard to employment and population.

In their own words

“When I first arrived I had heard that Buffalo was a struggling community so I had that in mind but then I went to places like Elmwood and CanalSide and it seemed like this was a city that was really developing. But then I would go back to the neighborhood where I was living which was low-income and I’d take the bus and see completely different people and experiences than those other areas that are part of the perceived ‘Buffalo Renaissance.’ It’s interesting to hear the differences then in ideas about what is good development and address why there’s a disconnect among different communities.”

Impact

"Paul was a rock star for PPG this summer! An engaging speaker and skilled writer, Paul contributed to our campaign for police reform in myriad ways. He interviewed Buffalo residents about their perceptions of police, researched policing best practices for our forthcoming report, and even shaped campaign strategy at the Open Buffalo Justice and Opportunity Table, a coalition committed to reducing arrests and incarceration rates in Buffalo. I was impressed by his work ethic, positive demeanor, and commitment to excellence. We couldn't have asked for a better PPG teammate."

Steve Peraza, Policy Analyst
Partnership for the Public Good