Albany voters give more power to Community Police Review Board

Voters in Albany have decided to give more power to the city’s Community Police Review Board.

This will allow the board to conduct its own investigations into complaints against police officers. They will also be able to subpoena records.

Before, the board could only review investigations that the police department had already conducted.

Supporters of the proposal, including Mayor Kathy Sheehan and the common council, say it will bring more transparency to policing. However, the Albany Police unions oppose the change, seeing it as a takeover of the department’s disciplinary process.

Mayor Kathy Sheehan acknowledged those concerns and said she is willing to look at the language with the unions.