Troy needs a mayor who is not afraid to address issues within the police department. We need a leader who will hold the department accountable and demand better.
Unfortunately, Patrick Madden, a Democrat, has shown a reluctance to take on the police department. This was evident during his handling of the case involving the police shooting of Edson Thevenin, where he tried to hide details for years.
It seems Madden has not learned from this mistake, as his response to the crash that killed Sabeeh Alalkawi shows a similar pattern. He has chosen to say nothing, admit nothing, and ultimately do nothing.
According to a State Police investigation, Officer Justin Byrnes was driving nearly 90 mph and ran a red light when he collided with Alalkawi’s car. Two other officers also sped through the intersection without slowing down. All three were responding to a domestic disturbance.
With the mayoral race heating up, what do Republican Carmella Mantello and Democrat Nina Nichols have to say about the crash and the investigation?
Both candidates recognize the tragedy of the crash and acknowledge the possibility of issues within the police department.
Reports suggest that some officers do not activate their sirens because it turns on their dashboard cameras. It is also possible that Byrnes’ SUV did not have a camera at all.
Mantello expressed concern that a camera was not installed in the car and emphasized the need for immediate correction. However, she evaded a direct answer when asked about officers not turning on their cameras, saying she would discuss it with police leadership if it is proven true.
Nichols, on the other hand, stated that they need to examine why all officers failed to do what was expected in that situation.
The fact that Byrnes’ SUV was the third police vehicle to speed through the intersection suggests a deeper issue with systemic failures and a lack of training within the department. It indicates a culture of recklessness and a failure to both protect and serve.
It is mind-boggling that officers would travel at almost 90 mph on a street with a speed limit of 30 mph. If they did so without their sirens, it shows a shocking level of arrogance and lack of care.
Video footage of the crash shows that Alalkawi had no chance to react, as his view was blocked by a building. The footage is distressing to watch and raises anger and frustration.
Both Nichols and Mantello were cautious in their responses to the tragedy, speaking vaguely and without much detail about what should happen next. It is clear that they would rather talk about anything else, as criticizing the police may cost them votes. But what about accountability?
One point of difference between the candidates is that Nichols believes body-camera footage should be used in disciplinary cases against officers, while Mantello is open to changing the requirements through an agreement with the police union.
Both candidates admitted that they are getting information about the crash solely from the Times Union.
Nichols, as a county legislator, is somewhat removed from city governance. However, Mantello, as the president of the Troy City Council, should be demanding answers from the Madden administration and pushing for transparency on behalf of the public.
Mantello stated that she has requested information from the administration but has received nothing. Given the seemingly cozy relationship between the mayor and council members, I believe Mantello and others in the council should be doing more to demand a response.
I also believe that Mantello and Nichols should speak more about the crash and what steps should be taken to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
It is clear that Alalkawi’s death could have been prevented. This crash cannot be dismissed as an accident or a consequence of necessary police action. It represents a failure to exercise caution and care. The residents of Troy deserve to know that this will not happen again.
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