County attorney seeks two deputies as caseload and digital evidence demands rise

Rachel, representing the county attorney’s office, told the board the office has seen a steady increase in case referrals and new filings from local and federal law enforcement partners and described the rising burden of digital evidence, body‑worn camera review and redaction work. She said the office processed over 900 new cases this year and estimated a double‑digit percentage increase in certain referrals.

To respond, the county attorney requested two positions: a civil deputy to help manage a growing contract review workload and complex public records requests, and a criminal deputy to handle increased prosecutorial demand, including ICAC and narcotics task force cases that require specialized review and time‑intensive evidence processing. The office also described efforts to centralize contracts and standardize templates to reduce reliance on outside counsel.

Rachel said new technology (e.g., Axon) will help streamline body‑worn camera redaction and storage needs but that more staff capacity is required. The county attorney’s office noted roughly $945,000 in other grant funds that support parts of its operations. The board thanked the office for improved collaboration with law enforcement and asked staff to consider funding timing when finalizing the FY27 budget.

Next steps: staff will include the positions in their budget deliberations and return with more detailed budget pages and grant‑funding offsets where appropriate.