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Commissioners approve DA request to use unused salaries to extend high‑risk intake backlog program
Summary
The court authorized the district attorney to use $296,000 in unspent salary funds to continue a high‑risk intake overtime program that prosecutors say reduced a previously reported backlog from 6,330 to 4,817 cases; commissioners voted to allow the budget‑neutral extension.
Bexar County Commissioners Court on Aug. 5 approved a budget‑neutral request from the County Criminal District Attorney’s Office to use $296,000 of unspent salary funds to continue a high‑risk intake backlog reduction program.
The DA’s office reported the overtime program — which uses existing budget authority to pay prosecutors overtime rather than hiring new staff — has reduced case backlogs in intake since it began in late 2023. Using the office’s updated backlog metric (measuring backlog from case filing date rather than offense date), the DA reported the backlog fell from 6,330 to 4,817 cases as of the day before the hearing.
Why it matters: The DA told the court the program has materially increased case review and indictments while the office struggles with statewide prosecutor shortages, increased evidence volumes (body‑worn camera footage) and Odyssey case‑management growing pains. The requested $296,000 would come from salary savings in vacant misdemeanor prosecutor positions and pay participating prosecutors for evening and weekend overtime work.
Details the DA provided: The office reported a 33% reduction of a subset of at‑large backlog cases and said indictments year‑to‑date have increased by about 40% compared with 2023 (9,100 indictments in the first half of 2025 versus about 6,500 in the same period of 2023). To date the program has spent $269,307 of previously allocated funds and distributed 5,583 case reviews among participating prosecutors.
Questions and concerns raised: Commissioners and staff asked about Odyssey implementation effects, crime lab turnaround times, retention and recruitment of prosecutors, and whether the DA is pursuing outside audit recommendations; the DA said retention and pay competition from other employers remain primary constraints.
Vote: Motion to allow continuation of the program using unexpended salary funds carried (motion by Commissioner Rodriguez; second by Commissioner Moody). Constable support was noted on the record.
