ALBANY COUNTY — In announcing $19.5 million to improve public safety, Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday specified that a new $1 million would go for Albany City Police and $500,000 to the county sheriff’s office, largely for overtime pay.

Hochul said she hears from Albany residents, business owners, and visitors “an underlying concern about safety.”

She spoke after a roundtable meeting Tuesday at the Albany Public Library’s branch on Washington Avenue where she spoke with government and law-enforcement leaders.

“I wanted to have the opportunity today to bring everybody together and talk about a path forward, how we can restore the sense and perception of public safety that is so necessary here,” said Hochul.

She went on, “A lot of places, a lot of parts of our city do feel vibrant and alive, and they’re humming. But not every street, not every corner.”

Hochul said that crime statistics are heading downward, 12 percent overall.

But, Hochul went on, “I want a stronger police presence. The officers I spoke to know the impact that they have when they’re walking down a block. It gives people a sense of confidence, a sense of security. So we’ll assist with overtime. We’ll cover overtime shifts to ensure overnight coverage is even more enhanced.”

Similarly, for the county, she said, referencing Sheriff Craig Apple, “I also want to provide the sheriff with $500,000 for personnel overtime pay, however he feels it needs to be used.”

Hochul also said, “We’ll pay for new intelligence-gathering technology.” Albany County law-enforcement agencies will receive $2.5 million for new technology and equipment, the governor’s office said.

Among the ongoing public-safety investments in programs in Albany’s city and county, Hochul highlighted $2.4 million for the GIVE Initiative.

The acronym stands for Gun Involved Violence Elimination and is used by 20 police departments statewide “to proactively identify underlying problems that could be targeted to alleviate crime at its roots,” replacing a policing model that is primarily reactive and incident-driven.

In Albany County in 2024, according to GIVE data, there were 52 shooting incidents in which people were injured, down 7 percent from 2023; 63 people were injured by gunfire, down 10 percent; and seven people were killed by gunfire in 2024.

GIVE jurisdictions account for roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of violent crime reported outside New York City.

Hochul also noted $2.5 million for body-worn cameras, and $2 million for SNUG Street Outreach.

The state’s SNUG — which is not an acronym but, rather, the word “guns” spelled backward — Street Outreach Program was started in 2009 and uses a public-health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source; interrupting transmission; and treating individuals, families, and communities affected by the violence, according to the governor’s office.

Finally, Hochul highlighted $2 million for Project RISE, which, she said, “helps community service organizations that provide mental-health services. A lot of our challenges on our streets, whether it’s New York City, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, or Buffalo, stem from the fact that there are many people who are dealing with severe mental-health crises that demonstrate they are no longer able to take care of themselves on our streets. And that is not compassionate to leave them there.”

RISE stands for Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower and the program is meant to support community-based organizations that offer mentoring and youth development services.

Hochul concluded her remarks on Tuesday by saying, “A narrative that Albany is a crime-ridden city is false. False,” she repeated but went on, “We have to get to a place where this city feels stable, safe and secure.”