Photo: Getty Images
Brendan Cox, a familiar face in Albany, has been sworn in as the city's interim police chief. Cox, who previously served as Albany's police chief from 2015 to 2017, was officially sworn in by Mayor Kathy Sheehan on Monday (December 2). He replaces Eric Hawkins, who stepped down to take a job in Michigan.
Born and raised in Albany, Cox is a 23-year veteran of the city's police force. After his retirement in 2017, he took a job in law enforcement assisted diversion. Now, he's back in Albany, ready to lead the police department once again.
During his swearing-in ceremony, Cox outlined his goals for his tenure. He plans to focus on reducing crime and building partnerships between the police and the community. "I know there’s a lot of barriers, I know we have hiring retention issues, I know we have issues of violence," Cox said to Spectrum Local News. "We will tackle those together, and we will ultimately continue to make this a city where people want to live, work, visit and enjoy.”
Cox's appointment comes at a time when Albany is grappling with a surge in gun violence. During his previous tenure, Cox acknowledged the presence of gangs contributing to the city's violence, a fact he plans to address during his interim term.
Cox is expected to serve as interim police chief until a new mayor picks their chief in 2026. Whether he will seek the job at that point remains to be seen.