Albany commission meeting discusses budget for APD

ALBANY, Ga. – As budget conversations continue, the City of Albany heard from community members who felt the funding for the Albany Police Department should be reduced or redistributed.

All over America, calls to “defund the police” have gained momentum — and in Albany, some residents are calling for cuts.

In the proposed $290 million dollar budget, the city is planning on allocating 34% of those funds to the police.

The Albany Police Chief, Michael Persley, says most of the police budget will go to operational costs — and regardless of how funding is allocated, people need police services.

“It’s a very complicated matter because if you take something away what are you going to replace it with? At the end of the day whether it’s June 30th and we’re operating off of our current budget or it’s July 1st and we’re operating off of the new budget, citizens want service they will expect law enforcement to be there to answer their call,” says Persley.

To view the proposed budget in its entirety, click here.