Troy launches new public safety initiative

TROY, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — Troy officials unveiled a new plan to address violence in the city. Project Sentinel will focus on gathering intelligence and data to address crime.

Officers will be assigned to areas of the city that are seeing higher rates of crime. The police chief said the new program will help boost the efforts of existing ones by sending the same officers into the same neighborhoods. Leaders hope it will help them build trust and relationships with the public.

“The community is key to having this all work,” Police Chief Dan DeWolf said. “We get a lot of web tips or calls into our hotline. They’re really helpful. So we want to keep them coming. They’re good information that we act on, and there’s been raids and arrests made and problems solved.”

Officials said four officers will be assigned to the new unit. Troy’s mayor wants the city to return to a time when doors stayed unlocked and kids played outside until dark.

“If we’re able to keep our companies, to keep our businesses, small, large… Our people here in Troy need to feel safer and they want clean streets,” said Carmella Mantello.

This coincides with the Quality of Life Action Task Force that was formed in January. Mayor Mantello says this better coordinates city departments and involves local residents in cleaning the neighborhood, but safety on the streets is still a concern. Troy Police had a street crimes unit in the past, which has now been expanded.

“Based on intelligence and data. And I want it to work hand in hand with community policing, with our park walk and talk, with our narcotics division, with GIVE ,” described Mantello.

At the same time, Albany Chief of Police Eric Hawkins says they have been combating hotspots for a decade with the need growing after COVID. Both the location and number of hotspots change from year to year.

“It’s not just the numbers. It’s also the types of incidents that are there and so we look to see where there’s spikes in activities and then we look to see what types of activities that are happening,” stated Hawkins.

It’s because of this both Troy and Albany have their police officers not just driving the streets, but walking and biking them to feel more approachable. Chief Hawkins says including the public in these crime-fighting discussions is important. “I hear consistently from members of our community that there’s still a fear of crime. Now, we gotta match what are numbers are showing with what our people in our community are seeing.”

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