Schenectady

Embattled Albany Police Officer Michael Geraci Jr. will resign from the force at month's end and days later start a new job as a Schenectady County sheriff's road patrol deputy, according to police brass from both agencies.

Sheriff Dominic Dagostino said Geraci is expected to start his new job patrolling rural county roads in early March. He'll earn about $65,000 annually.

Albany Chief Brendan Cox said Geraci, whose base annual salary as a patrol officer was $66,032, has agreed to resign effective Feb. 28.

Until then, Geraci will stay on paid leave with the Albany police. He had been facing termination for allegedly choking and punching a 12-year-old boy in Colonie on Halloween after the youngster and some of his friends hurled pears at Geraci's home and tried to flee.

Geraci, who was off-duty, told Colonie police he only held the boy by his sweatshirt until they arrived.

Despite a history of on- and off-the-job problems, Dagostino said he is confident Geraci, 38, will be a "tremendous asset" to the 12-member road patrol unit and the department.

"I find him to be a very bright young man that has a lot to offer in the form of expertise within policing and he is very clear on what my expectations are and what the results will be if he does not live up to those expectations," Dagostino said. "Whether I hire someone from another agency or off a list, there's always a risk that person may not pan out."

Asked about some of Geraci's alleged misdeeds, Dagostino said after interviewing Geraci he is "completely satisfied with the answers I've received regarding previous alleged issues."

In December, Colonie police ended their probe into accusations Geraci, 38, choked and punched the boy in the alleged Halloween night incident.

The boy's father alleges Geraci jumped out of his car and grabbed his 80-pound son by the neck, threw him to the ground and punched him once in the chest.

At that time, the Colonie officer overseeing the investigation said the probe was ongoing and they were awaiting a decision from Albany County District Attorney David Soares' office "on the best course of action." Soares had already said there was sufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

The district attorney also said his office had advised Colonie police on possible charges based on the evidence. It was up to the police department to decide how to proceed.

In 2004, Geraci joined the Albany force after working for the New York City Police Department. He has a brother on the Albany police force and his father, Michael Geraci Sr., was Schenectady police chief from 2002 to 2007.

Dagostino said he has respect for the family and their commitment to law enforcement.

In 2006, a grand jury cleared the younger Michael Geraci after a review of whether he assaulted a 73-year-old man by dragging him by the ankles from a police van.

The man suffered cuts and bruises in an incident captured by a police security camera. Geraci returned to patrol duties after being cleared. In 2007, the city paid the victim, retired dentist John Behrmann, $25,000 to end a federal lawsuit, an attorney in the case said.

In 2013, Geraci was again removed from patrol duties as the department investigated allegations that, while assigned to a DWI traffic enforcement unit, he followed drivers after staking out city bars and was allegedly abusive to people he arrested. A law enforcement source said some of the cases were scuttled as a result of the internal investigation.

Cheryl Coleman, an attorney for Geraci in the most recent case, said there was "an alternative explanation for the claimed injury to the (boy's) neck" that police were investigating. She declined to reveal the details of an alternate scenario.

Brendan J. Lyons contributed. pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson