Northampton County district attorney asks personnel committee to approve staffing shifts, auto‑theft task force funding and victim‑services pay parity

The Northampton County District Attorney told the county personnel committee that he is seeking multiple staffing changes, new hires and equipment funding to reduce case backlogs, add an auto‑theft enforcement capability and staff a victim‑services unit funded by a RASA grant.

The request, presented during a personnel committee meeting, included a proposal to upgrade and hire assistant district attorneys, eliminate two clerical technician positions to create a paralegal and a paralegal/clerical specialist, upgrade supervisory and administrative assistant positions, and create a child‑abuse coordinator/victim‑advocate role funded by a RASA grant. The DA also described using existing drug task‑force funds to install license‑plate readers and said a separate insurance‑industry grant will support a county auto‑theft task force.

"They've gone above and beyond and I want to reward them by giving them a raise for their first year," the District Attorney said, describing proposed pay changes for prosecutors. He told the committee the office has…