Power & Politics

Albany Interim Police Chief Brendan Cox joined Power & Politics for a comprehensive interview this week, discussing his approach as he returns to the department.

Cox was Albany's Police Chief from 2015-2017, and retired from policing in 2017. Until now, he had been the Director of Policing Strategies of the L.E.A.D. National Support Bureau in his time away from policing.

In December, he took over for Eric Hawkins, who had been the Chief since Cox first retired.

"I've been gone almost eight years, you know, there's definitely some differences," Cox said. "There's also a lot of things that are the same, this is, you know, this is the city that I grew up in. This is the city that I considered home the entire time, even when I was gone. So, you know, there are some differences, and there's some challenges, but many of the challenges that we faced in the past are challenges that we face now. They're just grown, and they've grown because of some significant staffing changes and because perceptions are at a different heightened awareness."

The conversation ranged in a myriad of topics:

-Ensuring people feel safe

-perception of policing in 2025

-Understaffed department

-Mental health call response

-Bail reform/criminal justice

-Working with David Soares and now working with Lee Kindlon

-Presence of gangs

-Department transparency

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-An update on the terror attack in New Orleans, and the Cybertruck detonation in Las Vegas in front of the Trump Hotel

-Will Mike Johnson have a Kevin McCarthy-like experience in his efforts to retain Speaker of the House status?

-What are the new laws to watch out for now that the calendar has turned to 2025?

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Lukee Forbes joined Power & Politics on Monday, discussing the beating and death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility in December.

Forbes, who is formerly incarcerated, spoke alongside other formerly incarcerated individuals and advocates at Monday's rally at the Governor's Mansion in Albany.

In the interview, Forbes described his, and others experiences with correctional officers while incarcerated, saying it is a systemic, abusive culture.

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New York Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets Richard A. Ball joined CBS6's Power & Politics this week.

As the State faces a decline in rural farmland, Ball talked about the importance of urban farming, and the need for resources to help urban farms grow.

While he spoke about the need for the federal government to update the Farm Bill (especially after its most recent "extension"), he also spoke about State grant funding.

"We're going to release about a million and a million and a half dollars worth of awards here, and those projects will be released in 2025," Ball said. "We put together the community gardens task force. So we're meeting with the community gardens people and urban farm people across the state, not just in our urban areas, but all across the state, finding out what their needs are, finding out how we can help them."

He also spoke about:

-Potential new Mass Deportation policies, Ball saying that as many as 40 to 50 percent of workers in agriculture are not properly documented

-The impact of proposed tariffs on State agriculture, an industry that lost $27 billion nationwide during the last round of tariffs during the first Trump Administration

-Specialty crops, and New York's focus on those, along with the need for resources to help enhance that portion of the industry

-The Spotted Lanternfly, and the threat the insect is posing to State agriculture

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-Elon Musk's influence felt during Congress' spending bill negotiations, some ask at what cost?

-Governor Hochul confronted by an advocate against the State's CDPAP transition, what's the Health Department say?

-Former Governor Andrew Cuomo sues woman who accused him of sexual assault for defamation, as he continues trying to clear his name inside, and outside the legal system

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Mike Lawler, the Hudson Valley Republican Congressman in New York's 17th Congressional District, appeared on CBS6's Power & Politics.

Lawler addressed:

-His anti-congestion pricing campaign

-Aspirations as a potential Gubernatorial candidate

-"One-party rule" in the State of New York

-The Hunter Biden pardon

-Kash Patel's nomination

-Tariffs, lifting SALT cap

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-How is everyone reacting to Governor Hochul's proposal to give New Yorkers $300-$500 checks?

-How has Luigi Mangione's alleged act opened up the health care conversation

-Donald Trump is Time Magazine's Person of the Year, a look at this week's cabinet picks, Canada as a State, and Lawmaker Lawler and Ryan reaction

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Hudson Valley 18th Congressional District representative Pat Ryan (D) joined Power & Politics on Thursday, reflecting on his double-digit victory in the 2024 election (in a swing district) and what he's preparing for as a new administration takes over in January.

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-Joe Biden pardons his son Hunter, reaction from Democratic Congressman Pat Ryan and Republican Congressman Marc Molinaro

-What Supreme Court Justices were saying as they heard arguments over Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors

-Why Politicians pushed back against a proposal that groups claimed would put time limits on anesthesia coverage, and why Anthem reversed course

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