New 23rd Judicial District DA Vows Tougher Prosecutions; Local Officials Pledge Support

George Brockler, the district attorney-elect for Colorado's newly formed 23rd Judicial District, said at a Dec. 18 press conference in Castle Rock that his office will pursue "sooner, more predictable consequences" for property and violent crime and that "your expectation should be incarceration" if someone comes to the district to commit crimes.

Brockler said the 23rd Judicial District — created by state legislation in 2020 and comprising Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties — serves roughly "just north of about 400,000" residents. He and local law-enforcement leaders said the district will emphasize certainty of arrest and prosecution over sentence length, and that the office will work with state and federal partners on drug, gang and trafficking cases.

"We are gonna work together to make Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties the safest counties," Brockler said. He framed the district's approach as an alternative to what…