Albany Police seek to fire officers suspended for alleged ‘double dipping’
Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins confirmed on Wednesday that the city is recommending firing the officers accused of double dipping.
The officers were suspended without pay in October. A department spokesperson said they were clocking in at both the Albany Police Department and Albany Housing Authority.
Hawkins would not elaborate on what they are accused of doing.
“They demonstrated some conduct that in my opinion, justified a recommendation of termination. More will come out as they exercise their rights to contest that recommendation of termination. Publicly, I don’t want to go any further than that,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins said the department has concluded its internal investigation but has hired an outside party to determine if any criminal charges are warranted.
Mayor Kathy Sheehan said she learned Wednesday that the police union has filed a complaint with the Public Employee Relations Board seeking to mediate in the case. Sheehan thinks that should not go anywhere since Albany changed their law to direct any grievances of discipline to the public safety commissioner.
“We are filing a letter with PERB that says we don’t believe they have jurisdiction,” he said.