The city of Albany is reversing course and opening the next six meetings of its Albany Policing Reform and Reinvention Collaborative to the public and media.
The decision announced by Mayor Kathy Sheehan on Twitter Friday comes after WAMC first reported what the city was promoting as “public input meetings” would not be open to the general public.
The city initially said the Collaborative’s working groups “collectively decided” to open the sessions to only those providing comment.
On Twitter, Sheehan says after hearing from the community, the Collaborative decided to livestream the meetings and make all comments public. Sheehan added, “We want input.” The next meeting is Friday at 6.
We want input. After hearing from the community, the Police Reform & Reinvention Collaborative revised meeting formats to be livestreamed & all comments will be public. Sign up to speak: https://t.co/XKvuiuVNno. Submit anonymously coareform1@gmail.com or call/text 518.618.2268 pic.twitter.com/cyzRWCoUV7
— Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan (@MayorSheehan) December 11, 2020