Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins will leave the department after more than six years.
Hawkins formally announced his departure Wednesday at police headquarters. Mayor Kathy Sheehan say he has accepted the position of police commissioner in Warren in his native Michigan.
"I'm scheduled to start in Warren on December 2, and I'll let the mayor talk about transition," said Hawkins.
"So the chief is going to stay on for a number of weeks," Sheehan said. "In order to help plan for a transition, he and I will be meeting and talking about his recommendations, and we are also, I'm very aware we're going into an election cycle. So next year is an election year where a new mayor will be selected for the city of Albany. And in this city, the mayor chooses the police chief."
Sheehan appointed the former Southfield, Michigan Police Chief in August 2018. He went on to become the longest-serving chief in four decades. Sheehan says Hawkins leaves behind "an incredible legacy" shaped by his commitment to community policing that spearheaded projects including reimagining the police department, "pastors on patrol," a new crime analysis lab, a therapy dog program and a police cadet program.
“I talk about the chief a lot when I go to the U.S. Conference of Mayors meetings, and we talk about public safety issues," said Sheehan. "And when we talk about the challenges that we're facing, I'm able to give concrete examples of how we are addressing that in Albany. And whenever another mayor asks me the name of my police chief, I used to say ‘John Doe’ because I didn't want him [Hawkins] stolen from me. But ironically, the mayor of Warren, Michigan is a new mayor, and I was assigned to be her mentor at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in January. And one of the things that we talked about was the importance of having the right leadership. And so I bragged on my police chief, and I guess I bragged a little too much, but I know that he will do an outstanding job there.”
Hawkins’ tenure in Albany has been marked by persistent deadly shootings amid overall declines in crime. The chief nearly left New York on two occasions. In 2021 he was a finalist for the chief position in Akron, Ohio, but ultimately withdrew his candidacy. In 2023, Hawkins was among four candidates who interviewed for the chief role in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Hawkins' reign as chief wasn’t without a few bends in the road: He faced criticism for the department’s response to a series of demonstrations in 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. The department deployed tear gas and physically removed an encampment at South Station in one incident where officers covered their badges. Some local elected officials called for his resignation. 10th ward Common Councilor Owusu Anane:
"We didn't always see eye to eye. I knew the chief was committed to
keeping our community safe, and right now, my focus will be to work with the city administration to select the new police chief that is responsive to the community while laser focused on addressing violent crimes and quality of life issues," said Anane.
Hawkins says the timing is now right for him to return to Michigan.
"Your hospitality has just been off the charts, and so I couldn't have asked for a better community to call home for six years. And I very well could have called it home for another 6 or another 12 or another 24 or whatever it may be, because this community and this region is just that special," Hawkins said.
Sheehan says city hall needs to launch a successful search for a new police chief.
"My commitment to a new chief will really only survive my term in office, and so that will be a factor for anyone looking to fill that position," said Sheehan. "That's not to say that they wouldn't stay on. You know, I kept the police chief that was here when Mayor Jennings was mayor, and he ultimately left to take another position in another city, but it is a factor that will be considered by any candidate looking to fill the position."
Sheehan, in her third term, is not running for re-election in 2025.
