Dialogue on racism urged
Advocate: Report on police relations in Albany can’t be ignored
When the Center for Law and Justice released its report on community and law enforcement relations in Albany two weeks ago, executive director Alice Green didn’t want local leaders to dismiss it.
She also hoped to start a bigger conversation surrounding structural racism and how it influences how people of color perceive and interact with police.
“You have to understand the relationship between police and communities of color,” Green said. “Let’s start with understanding that, especially through the law enforcement and criminal justice system. That’s an area of great significance in the community that affects a lot of things.”
The survey completed by the civil rights advocacy group revealed many minority city residents distrust not only the Albany Police Department, but the Albany County District Attorney’s office. It compiled responses from about 250 Albany residents on how they feel about local law enforcement and public safety.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan recognized that the study wasn’t scientific but said that shouldn’t matter.
“It’s 256 of our residents who have opinions,” she said. “And so, it’s important to listen to those experiences so we can use
that to improve our customer service and improve what it is that we’re doing with respect to policing in the city.”
In the report, Green made several recommendations for improving transparency between the community and law enforcement agencies and strengthening policies and reporting requirements. Green also identified existing entities that could be improved upon, like the Albany Community Police Advisory Committee being “reorganized and empowered.”
Sheehan said the recommendations are helpful to identify efforts the city has undertaken that residents find value in, and what can be improved upon.
An aspect Green stressed in the report, as it encompasses many of the specific recommendations, is teaching and training on structural racism. That, too, presents an opportunity for Albany, Sheehan said.
“I know we do implicit bias training as part of our training academy, but I think the civil rights piece of it might be something that we could develop into a curriculum and ensure that that is included in that training,” she said. “I think it helps to provide that context.”
Teaching police civil rights history is a specific recommendation in the report.
When talking about issues in Albany’s communities, Sheehan said she often emphasizes the historical context of how a neighborhood became a poverty concentrated area.
“They got this way because of racist policies,” she said. “Those weren’t just policies that were then enforced by police departments, they were policies that the federal government enacted that said we’re not going to write mortgages, we’re not going to guarantee mortgages in neighborhoods where there are African Americans.”
Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the report’s findings didn’t come as a surprise but do highlight the need for continuing to build relationships in the community and doing a better job getting the word out about what the department is doing.
“We do implicit bias training as part of our training academy, but I think the civil rights piece of it might be something that we could develop into a curriculum.” — Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan
“There are many people in the community who don’t really understand the depth and breadth of the programs we have in the police department and the commitment we have to building bridges in the community,” he said. “I see an opportunity for me to articulate and convey to everyone in the community what’s in place right now and what we’re going to do going forward.”
Communication between residents and the police department is something Green said could be improved upon. The same goes for the DA’S office, she said.
The survey found many black and Latino respondents felt the office wasn’t trustworthy or handled cases fairly. It also revealed that most who were surveyed — regardless of race — didn’t find the district attorney’s office easy to provide input.
District Attorney David Soares issued a response following a Times Union request for comment on his thoughts on the recent survey, stating that the office recognizes the “historical landscape of mistrust” that minority residents may have, which is why they have outreach efforts spanning from youth crime prevention to alternatives to incarceration.
“We always value honest input from the community and strive to let Albany residents know about what services, programs, and resources are available to them should they ever become involved as victims in the criminal justice system or need help with issues involving public safety,” he said in an emailed statement. “This dialogue is necessary for victims of crime, people who live in crime-impacted communities, and the public as a whole. We welcome any dialogue with those who have honest intentions to unite our community and see these discussions as valuable opportunities for transformative change to keep Albany a safe place to work and live.”