The Troy City Council has approved two measures aimed at helping the police department improve public safety.
The resolutions allow the mayor to enter into an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Colonie for mutual support for the department’s Police Tactical Team services and the use of the town’s Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Track Services or EVOC training.
The move by the city council comes after a fatal crash involving an officer's vehicle in February 2023, which killed a father of twins. Officer Justin Byrnes is accused of running a red light at a high rate of speed without his siren on, killing 30-year-old Sabeeh Alalkawi, a pizza deliveryman.
The Times Union reported an investigation by the State Police found Byrnes at fault in the incident, which has spurred questions about police protocol, dash camera policies, and more.
Assistant Chief of Police Steven Barker says EVOC training allows members to experience real-life scenarios in a controlled environment.
Barker says a department-wide, practical-exercise was last conducted in 2016, adding a majority of the patrol division has less than five years of experience, meaning they have completed some training more recently.
But Barker says many of the practices included in EVOC training overlap in annual trainings and policy reviews.
Republican Mayor Carmella Mantello, the daughter of a former city officer, says following last year’s crash on Hoosick Street, one of the busiest roads in the city, emergency responders must have access to hands-on training.
“Whatever we can do to provide our officers and I say that day in and day out the tools, the resources to do their job effectively, safely and keeping our community safe is a priority,” Mantello said. “So, this is another step in that direction providing our officers those resources.”
Republican Council President Pro Tem Thomas Casey, a former city firefighter, says while training is vastly different for different types of emergency responders, it’s vital.
“We've actually had over the last recent years, some serious accidents involving city of Troy Police,” Casey said. “So definitely, the more training they can get the better and I definitely support any agreement, where our officers are more highly trained, no matter what the content of the training is.”
The other measure approved by the council allows the Colonie Police Department and Troy’s to work together on traffic crash investigations, crisis negotiation situations, and to share resources like K9 and SWAT teams. Barker says the partnership began in the 1990’s. Barker says neither department has a full-time SWAT team; they are officers with other assignments.
