The building at 333 Madison Ave. in Albany caught fire after someone fired a flare gun into the home on the Fourth of July. Here, demolition of the 150-year-old building, as well as a bar next door, is underway on July 10, 2025.

There’s been plenty of soul searching by residents and finger pointing by officials since youth-driven violence marred Albany’s Fourth of July weekend, but the fact remains: Albany does not feel safe.

It’s an uncomfortable reality that many of us have grappled with for some time. Ultimately, it’s a tragedy for locals, visitors and law enforcement that it’s gotten to this point.

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Only a month ago, Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox were “hail(ing) Albany crime decreases,” as a Times Union headline put it. Unfortunately, as is the case oftentimes with public safety, statistics and reality end up misaligned.

I wanted to see for myself if this was the case, which is why I recently took a four-hour ride-along with deputies from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. The starkness of Albany at night as seen from a police cruiser could not be more eye-opening.

The first red flag is that too few people seem to want to........

© Times Union