ALBANY — The capital city is poised to have its first black police chief in more than two decades — and only the second in its history — with the appointment of Southfield, Mich., Chief Eric Hawkins.

For more than a year and a half, the Albany Police Department has been led by acting police Chief Bob Sears, but with Sears set to retire next week, Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s appointment of Hawkins, 50, to lead the 350-member force will bring a fresh face to the department in a summer of challenges.

The Common Council has 45 days to confirm or reject the appointment. Earlier this week, the council approved upping the salary for the next chief to $145,000.

Sheehan said Hawkins commitment to 21st Century policing strategies and the work he’s done to implement them in Southfield, a northern suburb of Detroit, made him the best candidate.

“I think he has a great track record. He also has very strong leadership skills,” she said. “One of the other things that really struck me about him was how he prioritizes the six pillars of community policing. He has accountability and legitimacy as number one, and a very close second is officer wellness.”

Hawkins joined the Southfield Police Department in 1990 as a police cadet and was sworn in as an officer a year later. Over the years, he rose through the ranks and, in October 2012, became police chief for the city of roughly 72,000 people – a majority of whom are African-American, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

By comparison, Albany has a population of about 98,000 where 57 percent are white, 31 percent are black, and the remainder identify as Asian, Pacific Islander or mixed race, according to U.S. Census data.

"I am honored to be chosen to lead the men and women of the Albany Police Department," Hawkins said in a news release Friday. "The Albany Police Department has a rich history of working with the community in resolving issues and enhancing safety and security. I look forward to continuing that tradition."

John A. Dale was Albany's first and to date only black police chief, serving in the top job from 1989 until his retirement in 1995. Dale, who died in 2014 at age 80, was also the city's first black detective and police supervisor.

As Albany embarked on a nationwide search for its next police chief, the process drew criticism with some questioning whether someone who isn’t from the city would be able to successfully lead the department.

Albany hired a national consultant to help with the selection process, and engaged the community on what residents were looking for in the next chief. A nine-person advisory committee interviewed and evaluated several candidates, and provided four recommendations to Sheehan.

“I think that the police work Hawkins has been doing is something that will transition well to any market,” Sheehan said. “It’s always a learning curve to learn a new area, but he outlined for me a very strong plan for how he will engage the members of the department as well as the community.”

The process for hiring a new police chief ran in stark contrast to the quick announcement and appointment of fire Chief Joe Gregory, who was selected to replace Chief Warren Abriel Jr. about a week after he announced his retirement.

Brian Shea, Sheehan’s chief of staff, said police chief searches often go nationwide, but wouldn’t comment on the different standards in other departments. In June, a government official from New Jersey was picked to lead the city’s Department of General Services following the departure of Daniel Mirabile for a job in New England.

“Albany has emerged as a national leader in 21st Century policing strategies, and that allowed us to cast a wide net and take stock of where we are and where we wanted to go,” Shea said.

Hawkins resume boasts implementation of a neighborhood watch program, strengthening community relations through citizen and youth police academies, and creation of a citizens’ advisory board. He also brought various employee training programs to the Southfield department, including sessions touching on cultural competency, implicit bias, lethal force and mental health awareness.

While city officials are still working out Hawkins’s start date, the Michigan native will join the department during a time when Albany has seen a surge in violence that has left three dead and 12 injured in a matter of weeks. Slightly more than halfway through the year, the city has already tied its 2017 tally of eight homicides.

In recent months, the Albany Police Officers' Union also has come out swinging against the city's elected leadership, blaming Sheehan for the lack of raises and an alleged inability to get uniforms and other necessary equipment in a timely fashion. (Sears, however, disputes that any officer has been denied uniforms or gear.) The union has been without a contract since the end of 2013.

“Hawkins knows that he has his work cut out for him," Sheehan said, "but he has a plan he’s ready to execute when he arrives so he can get to know the men and women of the department and their needs."

During his time in Southfield, Hawkins has updated technology from installing thermal imaging cameras for police cars to electronic speed signs. He also introduced various health and wellness initiatives for employees to minimize injuries and increase productivity, like allowing for exercise during parts of their work shifts.

Albany's police have been led by nine different chiefs in the 29 years since John A. Dale's appointment by Mayor Thomas M. Whalen III, and all but one have come from within the department. Sears took over the role on an interim basis after former Chief Brendan Cox left for another position in January 2017.

Sears decided not to apply for the permanent chief position because he didn’t want to uproot his family from their Glenmont home, and will retire from the department after 20 years.

A former Albany police deputy chief, Steve Reilly, was one of the finalists in the search, and spoke out against the proposed pay bump for the city chief position at a recent Common Council meeting.