Albany County approves series of sheriffs office grant agreements and budget amendments

At a meeting of the Albany County Legislature, members unanimously approved a package of agreements and 2025 budget amendments for the sheriffs office covering inmate-reimbursement funds, traffic-safety grants, 911 operations and interoperability funding, mental-health grants for first responders and violence-reduction funding.

The package included authorization to accept $52,002.84 from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance to reimburse the county for housing criminal aliens; approval of the 2025 STOP-DWI plan and a related $572,000 agreement; amendments to spend a $500,000 congressional grant to support a shelter-related project at the jail; and a range of public-safety communications grants and extensions intended to keep 911 and radio systems operating.

Sheriff Campbell, who presented most of the items, said the DOJ reimbursement "is just asking permission to receive $52,002.84. We had budgeted $25,000." He explained reimbursements vary by year and that the payment covers per-diem costs such as food and medical care for inmates the county already has in custody. On the STOP-DWI plan, Campbell said the $572,000 supports DWI enforcement, checkpoints, victim-impact panels and cost-sharing with municipalities.

Several items dealt with 911 technology and operations. The legislature authorized an agreement with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for the 2024 Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAP) operations grant (amount described in the meeting as "$2.35" for 2024) and approved an extension and spending plan for the 2023 PSAP grant to use about $66,000 remaining for delayed technology purchases. The body also authorized a statewide interoperability communications grant, which the sheriff described as "1,100,000.0," and cited line items of roughly $700,000 for land-mobile-radio maintenance and $450,000 for Motorola work to keep the countys radio and 911 systems operating.

The sheriffs office received two New York State Office of Mental Health-related awards for the CARES UP program to sustain a wellness app and peer training for emergency responders: one award for $40,000 and a second award for $60,000. Campbell said the wellness app has been offered to neighboring counties and supports confidentiality for responders experiencing post-traumatic stress, as well as peer training. Both items amended the 2025 sheriffs office budget.

The legislature also amended the sheriffs budget for the Gun-Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative to move $9,786 from equipment to overtime to close out the grant. Campbell described a recent crime-suppression detail funded in part by GIVE dollars that led to two loaded handguns seized, a quantity of cocaine and crack, several arrests including parole violators, and multiple vehicles towed.

Members asked questions about the countys role in policing within the City of Albany. Several legislators noted that county taxes are paid by city residents and pressed the sheriff on recurring county commitments to patrols inside Albany. Campbell said the GIVE and violence-intervention monies were not Albany-specific and that the $500,000 violence-intervention program award from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services would be used for both overtime and equipment as needed; he said the countys plan had been submitted to the state.

All items presented under the sheriffs office agenda were approved on motion and voice vote with no recorded dissents.

Votes at a glance

- Item 4: Authorize agreement with U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance for reimbursement of housing criminal aliens; amount stated $52,002.84; motion by Gill; second by Gary; outcome: approved.

- Item 5: Approve 2025 Albany County STOP-DWI plan and authorize agreement with the Governors Traffic Safety Committee; amount stated $572,000; motion by Lane; second by Gill; outcome: approved.

- Item 6: Amend 2025 sheriffs office budget to fund a special project coordinator tied to a $500,000 grant from Congressman Tonko; motion by Gill; second by Gary; outcome: approved.

- Item 7: Amend Resolution No. 35 (2025) for emergency medical technician defibrillation services to add weekend coverage; additional cost stated $25,100; motion and second recorded; outcome: approved.

- Item 8: Authorize agreement with NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for 2024 PSAP operations grant (figure in meeting: "$2.35" for 2024) and amend 2025 sheriffs office budget; motion seconded by Lane; outcome: approved.

- Item 9: Amend Resolution No. 573 (2023) to extend the 2023 PSAP operations grant and spend approximately $66,000 remaining; motion by Gill; second by Lane; outcome: approved.

- Item 10: Authorize agreement with NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for 2024 statewide interoperability communications grant (amount described as "1,100,000.0") with line items discussed for radio maintenance and Motorola; motion by Gary; second by Susan; outcome: approved.

- Item 11: Authorize submission of a grant application to NYS Office of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Center and Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene for the 2025-26 CARES UP sustainability grant; amount stated $40,000; motion by Gill; second by Gary; outcome: approved.

- Item 12: Authorize a second CARES UP grant for 2025-26 to support a part-time mental-health professional and EMS wellness work; amount stated $60,000; motion by Gill; second by Lane; outcome: approved.

- Item 13: Amend 2025 sheriffs office budget to reallocate $9,786 of GIVE grant funds from equipment to overtime and close the grant; motion and second recorded; outcome: approved.

- Item 14: Authorize agreement with NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services for the 2025 violence-intervention program and amend the 2025 sheriffs office budget; award stated $500,000; motion by Gill; outcome: approved.

Ending

Legislators approved the package by voice vote with no recorded opposing votes. Several members expressed continuing concern about the extent of county patrols in the City of Albany and the recurring fiscal impact; the sheriff said the state and federal grant funding offsets some county cost and that the programs are intended for countywide use as needed.