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City legal staff seeks full‑time evidence technician to handle growing volume of video evidence
Summary
City legal staff reported that a year-long part‑time trial evidence technician has met needs and asked the council to fund a full‑time evidence technician position to process growing amounts of body‑camera, business and other video evidence and reduce attorney trial-prep burden.
City legal staff told the council that increased video evidence in criminal cases has driven a need for dedicated evidence‑processing capacity and proposed converting a successful part‑time trial evidence technician to a full‑time position.
“I asked and and we're able to find some temporary money to hire a part time, evidence tech of videos. And that's what we've been using for the last year. And it's worked out great,” Gary said while describing the office’s experience with a temporary evidence technician who reviews body‑camera and business video and prepares clips for prosecutors.
Staff said the management audit commissioned by the city identified legal staffing shortfalls, noting the city was understaffed “by 2 attorneys and 2 staff members” compared with peer cities for the current caseload. The evidence technician role, Gary said, helps attorneys avoid spending many hours reviewing hours of recorded footage and preserves evidence for trial at lower cost than attorney time.
The office has used a part‑time technician for about a year; the staff proposal requests a full‑time position to expand pretrial use of the role, support pleadings and case resolution before trial and delay the need to hire additional attorneys. Gary said that in the last year the temporary hire “can do what our attorneys would have to do without being paid an attorney's wage,” creating savings and improving case preparation.
Councilmembers asked how contract attorney use and county referrals worked and requested budget detail. Staff said contracted outside counsel comes from departmental budgets unless tied to a specific project, and felony class‑A matters are typically handled by Weber County attorneys. No formal vote was recorded; the funding request will be considered as part of the overall 2026 budget process.
