ITS FUTURE UNCLEAR, POLICE BOARD MEETS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: ELIZABETH BENJAMIN Staff writer

Amid widespread efforts to strengthen citizen oversight of the Albany Police Department, the existing Community/Police Relations Board met for the first time in the new year Thursday and reviewed 11 new cases investigated by the department's Office of Professional Standards.

As usual, the board entered into a closed-door executive session to be briefed by police officials on the cases probed over the past two months -- some of which are still open. The public and the media are not allowed access to this information because of privacy concerns.

Six of the board's seven members were present Thursday, including …