After Albany's new police chief, Steven Krokoff, was sworn in last week, the Times-Union's Martin Alan Greenberg writes that Krokoff has an opportunity to "take progressive steps to promote public safety." Among other actions suggested Krokoff take, Greenberg says Krokoff has the opportunity to bring together key groups in the criminal justice system to address some of the area's public safety problems:

"Krokoff also can serve as a catalyst and facilitator to bring together key partners in the criminal justice system to form a coalition to contend with our region's crime problems. The best way to do this is to enable representatives from the major professional criminal justice and public interest organizations, both public and private, to meet.

Amazing things can happen when a team is assembled to work on a problem. Imagine what might be accomplished if our local police chiefs, county district attorneys, sheriffs and probation directors and court officials could routinely meet with representatives from such groups as the area's business community and media outlets, the Capital District Regional Planning Commission, Capital Region chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Correctional Association of New York, Vera Institute of Justice, ecumenical organizations, criminal justice college leaders, New York State Auxiliary Police Association and other concerned groups or organizations."