MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. — Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter released a video Friday in which he noted that attacks on law officers were up 46% last year — and called upon the community to help fight what he characterized as a wave of “lawlessness.”

“Police officers need your help. If they’re not safe, you’re not safe,” Baxter said in the video.

He referred to the man who opened fire into a Rochester Police officer’s cruiser Thursday, as well as the murder of Rochester Police Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz, who was killed in the line of duty in 2022.

“We demand better. We will not accept this as our norm,” Baxter said. “I ask you to ask difficult questions of your people in your sphere of influence, whether it’s law enforcement, lawmakers, or anyone else in the system. It is time to ask questions. Do not let people put their head in the sand.”

“…I’ll work with you, you work with me — let’s make our community better and safer,” he concluded.