Board promotes assistant safety director to lead role

The City School District of Albany Board of Education has promoted Assistant Director of Safe Schools and Violence Prevention Jason Davis to the director’s role in leading district-wide safety and security procedures.

A member of the district’s security leadership team since 2023, Davis has worked in school safety for nearly a dozen years, serving as a security monitor and chief emergency officer in the Waterford-Halfmoon school district from 2013-23. 

Prior to that, he served with the Albany Police Department for 20 years, including assignments as a sergeant in the Traffic Safety Division from 2008-10 and in the Neighborhood Engagement Unit from 2010-13. 

A trained instructor in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools, Davis has trained and has experience in a number of other relevant areas, including Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines, School and Police Partnerships, Active Shooter Response and the Albany County Threat Assessment Coordination Team.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University at Albany.

He replaces Vince Thompson as the district’s director of safe schools and violence prevention and will begin in the new role Friday. The district will begin a search for a new assistant director immediately to join Davis and Assistant Director Joe McDade in leading the district’s safety and security team.