Albany County District Attorney David Soares says he is sorry for making some controversial comments some found offensive; but that he still stands behind his message.

That message set off a fire storm of reaction last week when Soares said cops were over paid and drug crimes are handled in the wrong way.

Soares made sort of an apoligy to police officers today, for saying that "lucrative" law enforcement salaries are the reason for continuing a failed war on drugs.

"I admire the courage of our law enforcement personnel that put their lives on the line every single day," Soares said.

Soares and his controversial comments before a Canadian audience last week were the big topic today as the DA joined Assembly Democrats looking to liberalize the so-called Rockefeller drug laws even further.

But Soares says he sticks by his view that more drug treatment, not more jail time, is the answer; and "so be it," he says, if police do not like that.

"I would rather experience the alienation of 400 people than stand by and witness the annihilation of an entire generation of people," said Soares.

The DA's "apology of sorts" is meeting with some skepticism by cops, who question Soares' dedication to enforcing the same drug laws that he attacks.

"That is a concern, and if that's not going to happen, then we're going to have to figure another way to get somebody to prosecute our case," Albany Police Chief James Tuffey said.

"I am putting people who use drugs behind bars, (which) does not mean that I've surrendered my opinion on the issue," says Soares.

The DA and the police chief were to hold a private meeting late this afternoon to see if they can work out their differences. When the Albany County Legislature meets tonight, minority Republicans will try to pass a resolution demanding that Soares apologize, which the DA sort of did earlier today.

Stay tuned to NEWS10 and wten.com for continuing coverage of this developing story.