Contact: David Galin
ALBANY, NY – Mayor Kathy Sheehan has announced the hiring of Matt Toporowski as a Senior Assistant Corporation Counsel in the City of Albany to focus on police accountability and assist with policing reform implementation.
Toporowski will utilize his experience as a prosecutor and litigator to work closely with the Albany Police Department on police disciplinary proceedings, including arbitrations. Matt will also assist the Mayor’s Office with implementation of the Policing Reform and Reinvention Plan by helping to oversee the rewriting of the Police Department’s General Orders and ensure compliance with new reporting requirements that resulted from the Plan.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said “Matt’s litigation experience combined with his commitment to civil rights and criminal justice reform will be an asset to the residents of the City of Albany. He takes over a portfolio that includes police discipline and accountability, as well as assisting with the implementation of the City’s Policing Reform and Reinvention Plan – the most detailed, actionable, and transformative plan put forward by any city in the State of New York. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team and cannot wait for him to get to work.”
Corporation Counsel Marisa Franchini said “Matt joins an impressive and accomplished team of attorneys, paralegals, and administrators who serve the City of Albany with distinction every single day. He shares the values of this office and I look forward to putting his considerable skill to work on behalf of our residents.”
Matt Toporowski said “I fight tirelessly for justice for my clients and never accept anything less than the best possible result, and I plan to bring the same approach to this position and our community. The importance of police reform and accountability cannot be overstated, especially in this moment, and I look forward to returning to public service to focus on this critical work.”
Toporowski is a former prosecutor and experienced trial attorney. He has prosecuted and defended individuals at arbitration on a variety of claims before both the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Toporowski has litigated in state and federal courts throughout New York, and courts of other states on behalf of his clients' interstate interests. By court appointment, he has served as a Special Prosecutor in Albany County on both misdemeanor and felony offenses.
Prior to his career in the courtroom, Matt advised appellate judges on both criminal and civil appeals as an Appellate Court Attorney at the Third Department in Albany. Matt lives in the Ten Broeck Triangle with his fiancée, who is a journalist, and their two dogs. Matt is Vice President of the Capital Region Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President of the Ten Broeck Triangle Preservation League, and a Board Member of Green Tech Charter High School. Toporowski is an honors graduate of New York Law School and the College of St. Rose.
The Albany Policing Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan was drafted by 32 community volunteers. Over the course of six months, the Collaborative and its working groups held 63 meetings, conducted research into best practices and innovations across the country, and offered multiple options for public input resulting in hundreds of public comments to create this 100-plus page document.
###