Polk County district attorney says office fully staffed, prepared for rising drug prosecutions

Polk County District Attorney Mister Felton told the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 25 that his office is fully staffed, has reduced case backlogs and is prepared to handle recent increases in drug-related crimes.

Felton spoke during the commissioners' regular meeting, giving an overview of staffing, caseloads and operational changes in the District Attorney's Office that he said have improved the office's ability to prosecute cases and respond to new demands.

Felton said the office now has eight attorneys (seven deputy district attorneys plus himself) and a total of 23 staff across prosecution, victim assistance, discovery, child support and other divisions. "We are the healthiest we have been in terms of being staffed and being able to do the work that we're charged with doing," he said.

Why it matters: The office's staffing, training and technology affect how quickly…