SOARES OFFERS APOLOGY

ALBANY -- Albany County District Attorney David Soares apologized
Monday to local rank-and-file police officers "from the bottom of my
heart" if they were offended by his comments last week at a speech on
U.S. drug policy at a conference in Canada but held his ground on the issue.

Advertisement Soares had said that America continues its failed war
on drugs "because it provides law enforcement officials with lucrative jobs."

"This is not a lucrative business, I would say other than (for)
people like myself and other high-ranking executives that make
substantial salaries," Soares said. "I am saying we have an
incredibly expensive criminal justice system that continues to expand
as a result of laws we pass."

Soares expressed admiration for the courage of police who patrol
Albany's streets, but added: "I stand by my statements; we are losing
this drug war. We are losing it ultimately here on the streets."

With Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at his side, Soares spoke at a
news conference at the Capitol at which the Assembly Democratic
majority called for further changes to the strict Rockefeller Drug
Laws. That was a key issue in Soares' 2004 campaign for district
attorney when his victory in a Democratic primary over his former
boss, Paul Clyne, stung the party's establishment.

A few minutes later, during a news conference next to his office at
the Albany County Judicial Center, Soares repeated his regrets
concerning police officers, saying, "They're the last people on the
planet I want to insult. They are modern-day heroes."

Soares said the city and county lack a clear strategy and he plans to
work toward instilling short- and long-term goals.

"We have to look at drug enforcement policies," he said. "There is a
pipeline, and it's coming into our county."

He said he'd asked Albany Police Chief James Tuffey for a meeting,
and will do the same with County Sheriff James Campbell, both of whom
criticized his comments last week. Tuffey said he is open to speaking
with Soares, and had done so already twice Monday.

"My question is going to be, are you going to prosecute those
individuals who deal drugs in the city of Albany?" he asked.
"Obviously, the citizens of Albany want drug dealers off the corners."

Anyone who wants to legislate should be a legislator, Tuffey said.
"We are the ones who enforce the law."

As to the private hostility he said he's faced since his victory over
Clyne, Soares said, "This is Politics 101. What I am asking is that
we remove politics from our law enforcement."

Soares characterized County Legislator Ann Comella's move to force
him to apologize as "again, Politics 101."

At a meeting of the County Legislature Monday night, scores of Soares
supporters turned out. But before the meeting began, Comella withdrew
her resolution calling on Soares to apologize after learning he had
done so earlier in the day.

"This is about doing the right thing," Comella, a Loudonville
Republican, said. "This is about support for police officers." No
fewer than 20 speakers signed up to comment at the legislature's
public forum session in what turned out to be a pep rally for Soares.
Virtually all of them praised the district attorney and his remarks
and called for reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. They also
condemned a legislature resolution that would show "no confidence" in Soares.

Comella said her resolution had nothing to do with a show of no
confidence, it was simply asking Soares for an apology to law
enforcement and once he did it, the resolution was withdrawn.

"I asked for an apology and that's what I got," she said. Her
resolution had nothing to do with state drug laws, she said.

The County Legislature has no authority to reform the Rockefeller
Drug Laws, nor does it have any jurisdiction over how many prisons
are built, yet speaker after speaker slammed the laws as racist and
said the state keeps building more prisons to house offenders.

In 1973, when the laws took effect, there were 12,500 inmates in
state prison, activist Alice Green said. Twenty-five years later, the
prison population is around 70,000 and 35 new prisons have been
built, she said.

Elected officials and representatives of organizations, as well as
residents of Albany County, spoke.

Shawn Morris, president of the Albany Common Council, said "the real
subject of David Soares' remarks were lawmakers who are afraid to
make a change."

Listening to the speakers was Albany Assemblyman Jack McEneny, whose
daughter, Rachel McEneny, works for Soares doing public relations and
was also there.

Albany Law School Professor Vincent Bonventre said clashes are likely
when you have a "new wave" district attorney facing off against the old guard.

"It doesn't seem to me like he said anything radical," Bonventre
said. "Anyone who looks at these draconian drug laws says the same thing."

However, Bonventre said, "It's never helpful politically to be seen
as someone who's criticizing the police. If his enemies try to make
him out like that, that could hurt him."

The whole reason behind going to a conference like the 17th
International Conference on the Reduction of Drug-Related Harm in
Vancouver at which Soares spoke last week is to share ideas,
Bonventre added: "Good for him."