Public Safety Committee

ALBANY COMMON COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES Thomas Hoey, Chair Meeting called by: Thomas Hoey, Chair Date: February 10, 2022 Time: 12:00PM Committee Members Present: Hoey, Chair ☒ Flynn ☒ Frederick ☒ Balarin ☒ Kimbrough ☒ Present: Council Members Meghan Keegan, Gabriella Romero, Deborah Zamer, Sergio Present: Adams City Personnel Present: Danielle Gillespie, Ethan Samuel Minutes Agenda Item: Intro to the committee and general overview of their issues Speaker(s): Michael Delano, Edward Verhoff, Robert Mengel, Timothy Geisel, Tom Mahar Discussion  The Chair called the meeting to order.  Tim Geisel discussed his position as the neighborhood engagement unit and the community liaison partnership program in the City of Albany.  Tom Mahar discussed the Police Academy  Council Member Balarin asked how the community liaison program has been going and what the feedback has been and the current numbers of Police Officers in academy, he also asked in the past 24 months how many police officers who have completed the training and are still in the City of Albany, in which Tom Mahar and Tim Geisel responded to.  Council Member Frederick asked about the two recruits that were lost and if that is comparable to the numbers lost in the past, in which Tom Mahar responded to.  Council Member Flynn asked if they do exit interviews in which Tom Mahar responded to, and the Flynn asked if the recruits go to the 15 ward rotation in which Tim Geisel responded to.  Council Member Romero suggested to have more than one conversation with the recruits, in which Tom Mahar and Timothy Geisel responded to.  Council Member Keegan asked if there are things that they want to do in the academy that they currently can’t do, and are there things they envision wanting to provide to officers who have been in the academy that will help them in the public space, in which Tom Mahar, Timothy Geisel responded to.  Council Member Zamer and Timothy Geisel discussed about taking recruits around the City of Albany and retaining the officers and staying in the City of Albany.  Council Member Kimbrough asked if they are getting a good cross section with community members in the liaison program, in which Timothy Geisel responded to.  Robert Mengel and Ed Verhoff discussed the Albany Fire Department duties in the City of Albany.  Council Member Hoey asked if the Fire Department needs any equipment in which Robert Mengel responded to.   Council Member Flynn asked questions about the Fire Departments employment numbers, and the civil service and their rules and if they are hiring anyone in the County of Albany in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Council Member Keegan asked a question about the status of the washing machine for turnout gear that the Fire department used, in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Council Member Hoey asked about what will the Fire Department do with Buildings that go higher than the Departments highest ladder, and if they have all of the equipment that they need to handle any situations that occur and where the fire fighters trained, in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Council member Flynn and Robert Mengel discussed the Fire Department Program.  Council Member Keegan asked questions about the diversification of the AFD and how the Accord program will affect the AFD, in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Council Member Keegan and Robert Mengel discussed the Accord program.  Council Member Zamer asked about the third party ambulance and how it affects the Fire Departments services and if it is revenue generating for the Fire Department, in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Council Member Hoey asked what percentage of fire fighters decide to stay in the City of Albany and live there, in which Robert Mengel responded to.  Mike Delano discussed his department PBA and their primary function.  Council Member Flynn asked how many people are down due to sickness or military duties, in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Balarin asked about which groups of people are a part of the already down groups of officers, and in the last 24 months of individuals who graduated and how many are still working in Albany, in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Frederick asked if there are other driving factors that led to the 18 officers leaving and what are Mikes thoughts are changing that metric of retention, in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Keegan said how we all should listen to everybody and make sure we are making everyone’s jobs less stressful and to have a broad impact to make all officers lives less stressful.  Council Member Kimbrough asked if all the officers and detectives are represented by the PBA and if the officers are up with contracts so they can have a three year commitment in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Hoey asked how Mike feels about having a fear of seeing people that they arrest in a grocery store, in which Mike Delano responded to. Council Member Hoey also asked if an outside Policing agency has to follow the same rules as the Albany Police, in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Flynn asked how many of the 18 officers that left for monetary reasons in which Mike Delano responded to.  Council Member Balarin made a comment about thanking Council Member Hoey and Mike Delano about having open conversations about unions.  Council Member Keegan answered Council Member Hoey’s question about outside policing agencies following the same rules and Mike Delano also commented on that as well. Council Member Keegan also said the City of Albany does not have jurisdiction on enforcing laws for outside policing agencies. Adjourn: The Chairperson moved to adjourn, which was duly seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote. Respectfully Submitted: Ethan Samuel Legislative Aide to the Common Council