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 he described as more permissive enforcement elsewhere. "If you come down here with the intent to victimize us or to steal from us, your expectation should be incarceration," he said.

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekley, Elbert County Sheriff Tim Norton and Lincoln County Sheriff Tom Nestor joined Brockler at the event and endorsed his enforcement-first approach. Weekley said he has implemented a "no nonsense" approach and that his office would "catch the bad guys," adding that fugitives will face additional charges if they resist or flee.

Local elected officials also pledged resources and cooperation. George Scheel, chair of the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners, said county staff and the commissioners supported the transition planning. Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle, who sponsored the legislation creating the district, said the bill first passed in 2020 after earlier attempts. Commissioner Abe Laden noted county priorities on public safety and cited investments in school resource officers.

Brockler described operational preparations that began more than a year before the office's start date, including coordination with the existing 18th Judicial District, county human resources, information technology and court administration. He credited John Kellner, who led the 18th Judicial District during the split, for work on personnel and planning.

On immigration, Brockler said the local DA's office is not an arm of the federal government and will not act as a deputy for federal immigration enforcement. "I am not a deputy of the federal government," he said, but added the office will cooperate with federal partners where criminal activity intersects with federal jurisdiction.

When asked about specific charging policies, Brockler said he would not issue categorical bans or mandates (for example, a blanket ban on plea deals), because prosecutorial discretion is necessary to account for mitigating circumstances. He singled out retail theft and property crimes as enforcement priorities and criticized a recent statutory change that made theft under $300 a petty offense with a presumptive personal-recognizance bond, saying that change has constrained local prosecution options.

There were no formal votes or ordinances at the press conference; officials described the event as a public announcement of the new office and of multiagency support. Brockler said the new office would begin work in mid-January and invited media and the public to follow up with questions about implementation and policy.

Details that were stated at the event but not independently verified in the remarks: Brockler and others described the district's population as about 400,000; a letter read at the event identified the date of the press conference as Dec. 18 and expressed Lincoln County's formal support.