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Dunn County DA reports victim‑witness staffing turnover, rising discovery costs tied to Axon evidence
Summary
The district attorney told the Judiciary and Law Committee that a victim‑witness assistant position has high turnover linked to low pay, special‑prosecution caseloads have increased, and costs for handling Axon body‑worn camera evidence have driven a revenue increase to cover discovery preparation; federal VOCA cuts and chapter 950 reimbursements
The Dunn County District Attorney told the Judiciary and Law Committee that the office is experiencing recurring turnover in a victim‑witness assistant position, citing low pay and positional instability.
The District Attorney said the vacancy in the victim‑witness assistant position occurs roughly every one to two years and that the current assistant left for private practice. The office also reported an increase in “special prosecution” cases that sometimes create conflicts of interest, requiring the DA to request assistance from neighboring counties to cover hearings on short notice.
The DA said the office increased revenue estimates to cover costs associated with Axon, the vendor that provides body‑worn camera storage and evidence delivery. The office follows the state public‑defender practice on discovery fees and “follows what … the public defender … determines,” the DA said, adding that “they charge up to 0.03¢ per megabyte,” and that discovery preparation costs vary with the data size. The DA said the increased revenue is intended to offset the added expense of downloading, processing and providing the digital evidence in discovery.
The office also noted changes in federal and state funding for victim services. Federal VOCA funding was cut last year, the DA said, and state reimbursements under “chapter 950” cover roughly 50% of county costs for mandated victim‑witness services; the exact state amount varies year to year.
Committee members asked whether the victim‑witness assistant position requires an attorney; the DA clarified it is not an attorney position, that staff frequently handle telephone contact and courtroom accompaniment for victims, and that an undergraduate degree or experience may be required depending on county pay‑grade rules. The DA said workspace concerns — movable partitions and thin walls — complicate confidential calls and remote hearings.
No formal committee action was taken on staffing or funding; the DA’s office said salary, IT and telephone costs are driven by county and state allocations and that the office adjusted revenue lines to reflect discovery costs.
