Bethlehem Town Police Chief Gina Cocchiara is running for Albany County sheriff, saying Tuesday that she has filed with the Board of Elections.
It comes less than a week after Sheriff Craig Apple said he would not be seeking reelection.
Like Apple, Cocchiara is a Democrat, and is one of the first candidates to announce a bid for the seat.
The election itself isn’t until next year, though Cocchiara says she is planning events as soon as this fall.
Cocchiara was appointed chief in 2020 after Chief Louis Corsi retired. At the time, she had been with the Bethlehem Police Department for 22 years.
Apple started in the sheriff’s office in 1987 and has served as county’s top cop since 2011