Public blocked from Albany police reform forums
Meetings only open to residents looking to offer comments on changes
The city ’s seven meetings meant to gather public input as part of its police reform efforts won’t be open for public viewing.
While residents can sign up to speak at the Policing Reform and Reinvention Collaborative meetings, the city is not live-streaming them or providing a way for the public or the media to view them.
David Galin, a spokesman for Mayor Kathy Sheehan, said the working group chairs in the collaborative decided to make the meetings open only to residents looking to offer comments on possible reforms, including those who may not feel comfortable having their experiences broadcast to the public.
“The collaborative will be holding a public meeting that will be live streamed after these public input sessions to further deliberate on recommendations in conjunction with the Governor’s recommendations to ensure transparency during the collaborative prior to sharing final recommendations with the Common Council,” he said in a statement. “The Common Council will be holding a series of public meetings and hearings to further deliberate on the recommendations prior to voting on passage.”
The issue was first raised by public broadcaster WAMC. The station also questioned the city on whether the general public and media should be able to watch the meetings and if the city was violating the state’s open meetings law. In an advisory, the Committee on Open Government told the station the meetings can be closed because the police policy review task forces are not public bodies.
The city has reached out to multiple media outlets, trying to make the public aware of the meetings and gather more input.
Starting with a meeting today, the meetings will be held over the next six weeks from 6 to 8 p.m. Meetings will be held Dec. 11, 15, 16, Jan. 4, 6 and 11, focusing on issues like recruitment and retention, police operations, and civilian oversight.
The public’s comments are part of the city ’s work as its considers possible reforms to its police department. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo issued an executive order earlier this year that requires all local governments with police departments to pass legislation with a series of reforms by April 1. The governor’s order required local governments to speak with activists and local leaders as part of their effort reinvent their police agencies. Failure to carry out the order comes with the risk of losing state funding for law enforcement.
Residents can submit comments via text or phone at 518-618-2268. They can email written comments at coareform1@gmail.com or mail them to 24 Eagle St. Room 102, Albany, NY 12207.
To register to speak at one of the meetings or for more information on the collaborative, go to https://www.albanyny.gov/ Government/mayorsoffice/policereformcollaborative.aspx