John J. Flynn was sworn in for a second term as Erie County District Attorney at a small event, due to COVID-19, held in his office on Wednesday afternoon. The inauguration ceremony was the signing of the Oath of Office card, notarized by Sylvia Collins, Assistant Confidential Secretary, who officially swore in Flynn as the 41^st District Attorney for Erie County.

“I want to thank the voters for electing me to serve as their District Attorney for a second time,” said Erie County DA John Flynn. “I am proud of the work that my office has accomplished over the past four years.  My primary goal is to ensure that our communities are safe. I remain committed to prosecuting criminals as well as working with law enforcement and community groups to find ways to prevent crime and help those in need.”

DA Flynn, who was first elected in 2016, was re-elected this past November in an unopposed election. He received the endorsements of all major political parties. Flynn is currently the 2^nd Vice President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY). In addition, he is a Vice President of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), and the Chairman of the Metro Section of NDAA, which represents the District Attorneys of large cities.

Over the past four years, DA Flynn has implemented numerous changes within the office. In his first year, Flynn re-established a stand alone Narcotics Bureau to fight the opioid epidemic by aggressively prosecuting suspected drug dealers. He created a Conviction Integrity Unit to review cases of those wrongly convicted of crimes, which lead to the exoneration of three people. DA Flynn also implemented his own bail reform policies over a year before the statewide criminal justice reforms went into effect. Other accomplishments include his contribution to the creation of the nation’s first opioid court, the re-establishment of the community resolution program in Buffalo City Court as well as the creation of a school critical incident plan that provides an Assistant District Attorney liaison to school districts throughout Erie County.

In his next term, Flynn plans to focus on mental health issues in the criminal justice system as well as the emergence of cyber crimes. In addition, there has been a significant increase in shootings and homicides in the City of Buffalo over the past year. Flynn plans to work with his law enforcement partners and community leaders to stop the flow of illegal guns coming into our community.