Albany County District Attorney Lee Kindlon has focused on reducing gun and retail crimes in his first 100 days ago.

Kindlon held a briefing on Wednesday to discuss some of what he feels are his biggest accomplishments.

He emphasized the importance of the criminal justice system in balancing community safety and constitutional rights, highlighting the shift from focusing solely on individual justice to considering community-wide justice.

“Before, I used to worry about justice for an individual, and now every day we get to worry about justice for an entire community,” said Kindlon. “Just having that ability has been more rewarding than I can put into words.”

Key initiatives during this period include the restructuring of the District Attorney’s Office, with the establishment of new bureaus focused on restorative justice and street crimes.

The Restorative Justice Bureau aims to help individuals avoid criminal convictions and find alternative treatments, reducing their involvement in the justice system.

The Street Crimes Bureau, overseen by an experienced prosecutor, targets community-level crime issues, including gun-related offenses and other quality-of-life crimes that affect residents.

Additionally, the reestablishment of the Financial Crimes Bureau aims to tackle a variety of financial crimes, including wage theft and real estate fraud cases, making strides in collaboration with the Attorney General’s office.

“It also deals with things like wage theft, which is so important to our labor community. It focuses on scams that target seniors and vulnerable populations,” Kindlon said.

The Organized Retail Crime Task Force was highlighted for its efforts to address larger organized crime rings affecting the economy and community safety. Kindlon also noted significant staffing increases, with 19 new hires, including assistant district attorneys, support staff and paralegals, to bolster the office’s capacity and effectiveness.

“We are almost fully staffed because people know that this is now a great place to work.”

Kindlon noted that since he took office, 58 individuals have been sentenced to prison for illegal gun possession.

Since the beginning of the year, a total of 675 felony cases have been opened, demonstrating an aggressive approach to prosecution.

While some felonies may be reduced upon review, the focus remains on advancing serious crimes and ensuring that those who violate gun laws are held accountable. The goal is to remove illegal firearms and the individuals associated with them from the streets, thereby creating a safer environment for the community.

Kindlon was Albany’s first new district attorney in 20 years, replacing incumbent David Soares.

Soares had appeared on his way to a new term, until he began to receive criticism over a $22,000 bonus he gave to himself using state grant funds.

He later agreed to pay the money back. However, Kindlon ended up beating him for the Democratic nomination.

Soares then unsuccessfully campaigned as a write-in candidate.
Kindlon also said that he found $1 million grant funding that has been just “sitting on a shelf” and not being used. That includes $670,000 for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination.

Kindlon said he was thrilled to step into the role.

“I think I finally found where I’m supposed to be,” said Kindlon. “The past 100 days have been the most rewarding of my professional career.”