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Albany County District Attorney Lee Kindlon is highlighting significant accomplishments since taking office. Kindlon has focused on restructuring the DA's office, creating new bureaus for restorative justice and street crimes. These initiatives aim to balance community safety with constitutional rights, moving beyond individual justice to community-wide justice.
Kindlon has also increased staffing, hiring new assistant district attorneys and paralegals to bolster the office's capacity. He noted that 58 individuals have been sentenced for illegal gun possession since January, as part of efforts to reduce gun crime. Additionally, 675 felony cases have been opened this year, demonstrating an aggressive approach to prosecution.
A major achievement is the discovery of nearly $1 million in unused grant funds left by the previous administration. Kindlon's office plans to use these funds for anti-violence and victim support programs. "We were able to take control of grants that had been languishing," Kindlon explained to News10.
Kindlon has also launched an organized retail crime task force to address larger crime rings affecting the community. "Our organized retail crime task force is a partnership between my office and law enforcement throughout the county," Kindlon stated to CBS6 Albany.
Reflecting on his role, Kindlon said, "The past 100 days have been the most rewarding of my professional career," as reported by WNYT.