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Public defender seeks to convert ARPA investigator positions, secure evidence-storage funds and maintain staffing
Summary
Coconino County public defender Jennifer Stock urged the board to retain ARPA-funded investigator positions and budget for Axon evidence storage after the company retired its previous platform; she emphasized the investigator role in client contact, locating witnesses and preparing trials.
Coconino County Public Defender Jennifer Stock presented her office’s FY26 priorities to the Board of Supervisors on May 7, asking the board to continue funding investigator and ARPA-supported attorney positions and to approve funding for evidence‑management software.
Why it matters: Stock told the board that investigators are central to defense work—locating clients, interviewing witnesses, documenting injuries and preparing evidence for trial—and said losing in‑house investigative capacity reduces effective representation and pushes costs to hourly contracts that are harder to manage.
What the office asked for: The public defender’s top request was to make a limited-term investigator position (ARPA-funded) permanent, plus to convert 2 ARPA positions to ongoing staff. The office also sought a contract for evidence management and transcription tools after Axon announced retirement of evidence.com; Stock said the new Axon Justice solution was the most cost-effective available after reviewing alternatives and consulting with the county attorney and other counties.
Stock described investigator duties in detail: investigators locate and interview in‑custody and out‑of‑custody clients, document injuries and crime scenes, review state witnesses’ criminal histories and prepare large volumes of recorded jail calls for attorney review. She said those tasks are time-consuming and that a single investigator cannot meet the workload.
Budget notes: County management recommended the standard 5% CPI and a motor‑pool adjustment; it recommended a one‑year extension for some ARPA positions but did not endorse making all investigator positions permanent in FY26 because of recurring cost constraints. Stock said the office could accept a one‑year extension but asked the board to note the long‑term impact on caseload capacity if investigator roles are reduced.
Other items: Stock also described a county‑level issue with evidence handling: Axon’s platform changes required the office to re‑evaluate storage and transcription options; after comparing vendors and consulting with other offices, Stock said a constrained Axon Justice license offered transcription advantages that would save attorneys’ time.
Next steps: Stock asked the board to consider funding approaches that preserve in‑house investigative capacity and to treat evidence‑management software as a countywide priority because several departments face similar transitions.
Sources: Public Defender presentation, May 7, 2025; remarks by Jennifer Stock to the Board of Supervisors.
Ending: Supervisors pressed for additional caseload and staffing data; the county manager’s office said it would continue to work with the public defender on alternatives, including one‑year extensions and central software procurement.
