Albany Mayor Appoints Advocacy-Minded Pastor to Police Review Board

Rev. Marc Johnson has a history of community leadership and police oversight experience.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:51pm

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A serene, painterly image of a modest church building with warm sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of contemplative community leadership.The appointment of a respected community pastor to Albany's police review board aims to bring a renewed focus on accountability and transparency.Albany Today

Mayor Dorcey Applyrs has named Rev. Marc Johnson, the founder and pastor of St. John's Love Covenant Ministries, to the Albany Community Police Review Board. Johnson has previously served on a similar police oversight board in Binghamton and has worked with various community organizations like the NAACP and Center for Law and Justice.

Why it matters

The Community Police Review Board has struggled with internal politics and inconsistent meetings, so Johnson's appointment brings in an experienced community leader focused on police accountability and justice.

The details

Johnson has a long history of advocacy work, including serving as a project director for the Center for Law and Justice and working with the Capital District Urban League and Albany's NAACP chapter. He has also worked as a business consultant, helping nonprofits, churches, and small businesses. Johnson's appointment fills two of the mayor's open seats on the nine-person review board, which has faced challenges like a member who failed to disclose a prior criminal conviction.

  • On March 30, 2026, Mayor Dorcey Applyrs named Rev. Marc Johnson to the Albany Community Police Review Board.
  • The review board has only met once since October 2025 amid member resignations and internal politics.

The players

Rev. Marc Johnson

The founder and pastor of St. John's Love Covenant Ministries, Johnson has a history of community leadership and police oversight experience, including serving on a similar board in Binghamton.

Mayor Dorcey Applyrs

The current mayor of Albany, Applyrs has now filled two of the mayoral appointments to the nine-person Community Police Review Board.

Albany Community Police Review Board

A panel tasked with providing oversight and accountability for the Albany Police Department, the review board has faced challenges with internal politics and inconsistent meetings.

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What they’re saying

“I'm a student of holy Scripture, but I'm not a zealot. My greatest call is to humanity. In the Book of Micah, the Lord requires us to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. We must be compassionate with all people. I am called to love my neighbor as myself. That allows me to live justly in a humane society.”

— Rev. Marc Johnson, Founder and Pastor, St. John's Love Covenant Ministries

What’s next

The Albany Common Council still needs to fill the three remaining vacancies on the nine-person Community Police Review Board.

The takeaway

Rev. Johnson's appointment brings an experienced community leader focused on police accountability and justice to the Albany review board, which has struggled with internal challenges and inconsistent oversight.