Albany Mayor and Police Chief give public safety update

ALBANY (NEWS10) — Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins reported a 17% increase in shooting incidents and a 15% rise in shooting victims year-to-date, though he emphasized the need to consider the numbers in a broader context.

"When we're looking at where we are in comparison to those incidents, it's not something that's totally startling to us," Hawkins said. "We’re slightly ahead because we’re comparing them to a period when we had some significant decreases."

Hawkins urged residents to look at the long-term data, noting that the five-year average shows a different picture of gun violence trends in Albany. "With shooting incidents in our city, we are actually down 13% compared to the five-year average," he explained. "And with shooting victims, we're actually down 18%...we try to look at the overall picture."

Mayor Kathy Sheehan joined Chief Hawkins in acknowledging the department's work in addressing crime and credited additional state funding for strengthening anti-violence programs. "The funding…with respect to anti-violence strategies has certainly benefited our city," Sheehan remarked, pointing to Governor Hochul's support through increased funding for anti-violence initiatives.

Sheehan also addressed residents’ concerns about public safety, emphasizing that many issues stem from social challenges rather than criminal activity. "Oftentimes, when people say they’re concerned about public safety, it’s because they saw a homeless person…or an individual with a grocery cart at a bus stop," she explained. "It is unacceptable," she added, but clarified that these concerns should not necessarily be attributed to policing practices.

The city’s approach remains focused on balancing crime prevention with addressing broader social issues, aiming to foster a safer community for all residents.