The Albany Community Police Review Board has held its last meeting at Albany Law School.
The CPRB is an independent body that reviews complaints alleging misconduct by officers of the Albany Police Department.
After more than two decades at Albany Law, the board has found a new home at 175 Central Avenue.
15th Ward Common Councilor Tom Hoey, who chairs the public safety committee, says the location change came after Albany Law declined to renew the board’s contract in August.
"The decision was made, let's bring it, incorporate it, into the city as a department, but in a way that it would still be independent or, you know, not under control of police hierarchy or the mayor," said Hoey.
Councilors unanimously voted to bring the board under city oversight. Government Law Center Program Director Chel Miller says the move is bittersweet.
“It's been an honor to have had the opportunity to work closely with the board during my time at the government law center, and during this transitional time, which I acknowledge for everyone, has been difficult and will be, but I think we'll have a smooth transition," Miller said. "For those who don't know, the Government Law Center has provided administrative support to the CPRB since 2000. That's 24 years of service to the board and the communities that it serves. The CPRB has more authority and responsibility than it did when this journey began.”
That journey has been a bumpy one. Following a local law passed by the Common Council and signed by Democratic Mayor Kathy Sheehan in 2021, a ballot measure approved by voters gave new powers to the nine-member body, including the ability to conduct its own independent investigations into complaints filed against police officers.
The board has often found itself at odds with Sheehan over funding issues. CPRB officials routinely appeared before the council asking for more money to cover operations, at times scrambling to make do with whatever it received.
The board also struggled to meet public expectations. In 2022 it hired an outside firm to help establish an infrastructure and foundational practices, while stepping up efforts to educate and inform the community.
Then there’s that rocky relationship with the police department. In 2023 the CPRB began the process of developing a discipline matrix with then-Chief Eric Hawkins.
Eventually frustrated that police were not honoring its subpoenas, the CPRB filed a lawsuit in December 2023 in an effort to force compliance by members of the Albany Police Department and two police unions. It drew national attention.
Hawkins left in November after more than six years to take a similar position in his native Michigan. Sheehan, in her third term and not running for re-election, tapped former Police Chief Brendan Cox to return to the role on an interim basis until voters choose the next mayor in 2025.
Board Vice Chair Veneilya Harden hails Cox as a "collaborator." "When I joined the board nine years ago, Chief Cox was getting ready to leave, so I had about three to six months with him before he had left APD. During the time that I was that I spent with him while on the board, he was very present. He was in the community. He was very much a collaborator, more than any other chief that I've ever seen. And not just with the board, just his presence in the community. And I really think that it's what we need for him to come back and help get things back on track, because things have definitely changed, and not necessarily for the better in terms of community and policing," said Harden.
The board plans to pick up discussing the discipline matrix with Cox in hopes of finalizing the initiative by spring.
Harden's time on the panel is coming to an end. She stayed on after her term expired in late October.
The city of Albany is now posting open CPRB positions on its website.
Beginning with the next monthly meeting January 9th, all board meetings will be held in City Hall and will continue to be livestreamed.
