Track and take part in collaborative discussions to develop clear and consistent systems for accountability.
In the last few years, Albany’s constituents voted to amend Local Law J of 2020 – Proposition 7 to enhance the role and responsibilities of the Albany Community Police Review Board (CPRB). As part of these changes, the Board is tasked with working with the Albany Police Department (APD) Chief of Police to develop and implement a Discipline Matrix that clearly delineates penalty levels with ranges of sanctions and stipulates a consistent accountability structure for law enforcement.
The Board has begun this work and would like to invite public engagement and input into the process. We will hold and record public meetings. During the first meeting, we heard from the Department about what already exists while also discussing expectations and outlining our anticipated plan to undertake this work.
As a starting point, the APD has shared the materials that currently exist when deciding on discipline in cases of officer misconduct. You can review APD’s current progressive discipline:
Article 4 – Discipline, and Article 5 – Department Investigations
The general orders governing how the APD considers discipline:
GO 2.2.20 (Disciplinary Procedures) revised 6.14.22 (PDF)
GO 2.4.05 (Office of Professional Standards-Complaint Procedures) revised 6.14.22 (PDF)
Additionally, these articles provide context to understanding this issue:
– New Perspectives in Policing (HBR). Police Discipline: A Case for Change
– Police Quarterly. Police Employee Disciplinary Matrix: An Emerging Concept
– COPS/DOJ. Standards & Guidelines for Internal Affairs: Chapter 4, Mediation, Adjudication, and Disposition
We intend to do this work in public view through open meetings with every opportunity for community members to hear and weigh in, starting with this short survey. We wanted to hear from you to understand your take on officer discipline in light of sustained police misconduct. We invite you to take this short survey to help us understand what is known and needs to be known about the topic and capture early ideas and perspectives.
Share your thoughts by taking the survey by March 20, 2023, at http://bit.ly/cprb-survey or attending public meetings.
The translations of the discipline matrix flyer are available in the following languages:
English
Spanish
Arabic
Pashto
Sgaw Karen
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Members of the public are invited to participate in upcoming public meetings at Albany Law School:
- February 22 at 6:15 p.m. in the West Wing Classroom (W218)
- March 8 at 6:15 p.m. in the East Wing Classroom (E211)
- March 22 at 6:15 p.m. in the Matthew Bender Classroom (R425)
- April 5 at 6:15 p.m. in the West Wing Classroom (W212)
- May 17 at 6:15 p.m. in the West Wing Classroom (W212)
- June 1 at 6:15 p.m. in the West Wing Classroom (W212)
- June 14 at 6:15 p.m. in the West Wing Classroom (W212)
The meetings will be livestreamed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AlbanyCPRB
CPRB Standing Committee on Discipline Matrix Members:
- Nairobi Vives, Esq., Chair of CPRB
- Veneilya Harden, Vice Chair of CPRB
- Paul Collins-Hackett, Secretary of CPRB
- Anthony M. Battuello, APD Deputy Chief
- Tom Mahar, APD Training Unit Lieutenant
- Josiah Jones, APD Detective Lieutenant and Albany Police Supervisors Association (APSA) President
- Benjamin Peterson, APD Sergeant and APSA Vice President
- Melanie Trimble, New York Civil Liberties Union
- Mark Mishler, Attorney and Activist