Albany Police Department donates seized assets to nonprofits

ALBANY — Funds seized during a raid by the Albany Police Department’s Gang Unit, the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit, the Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Dougherty County District Attorney’s Office were donated Friday to local charities. Representatives of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany, Girls Inc., Liberty House, Mission:Change and the SOWEGA Council on Aging were all present to accept checks.

“Every day in the community, we do the best that we can to forge relationships to make sure that we’re providing the service that the community needs,” APD Chief Michael Persley said. “It is not always about enforcement, and it’s not always about people going to jail. A lot of times, and the majority of the time, we want it to be about mediating problems and helping people solve their issues so that they can learn from their situation and move forward.”

During a raid that occurred Nov. 19, 2015 at Haley’s Food Mart on South Slappey Boulevard, assets were seized and forfeited. The store had been under surveillance for criminal activity for several months, according to officials, before warrants were served and arrests were made.

“We are giving back from actions that occurred in reference to an investigation that our Gang Unit conducted along with other members of the Albany Police Department, ADDU and the DA’s Office,” Persley said. “Today we want to give back to the community in a different way. A lot of the times when we seize illegal proceeds, we will use them for training and equipment. But today we want to make sure we make an investment in two generations. One, the generation that is before us to make sure that they are taken care of and not forgotten. And also, the generations to come to make sure that they have a very pleasant future.”

Checks totaling $9,500 were distributed to the various charities at the Law Enforcement Center during a brief ceremony honoring each organization.