Prosecutor asks for higher deputy pay, warns private-sector competition is thinning staff pool

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rob Roberts told the Budget Committee the prosecutor’s office has worked to hold most line items steady but needs targeted increases to keep staff and maintain case-work capacity.

Roberts said the office has seen retention pressure as private law firms recruit prosecutors with courtroom experience, offering starting salaries substantially higher than current county scales. “We’re competing with counties and private firms that advertise deputy-prosecutor positions paying well above what we offer,” Roberts said, explaining the office is seeking to raise the county’s deputy-prosecutor base toward $90,000 to stay competitive.

The office requested modest increases for trials and investigations and about $5,000 more for computer-replacement needs; Roberts noted laptops in the office are several years old. He also told the committee the seized-asset (forfeiture) account is expected to record several sizable forfeitures in the coming months and that those receipts would help cover some of the requests.

Committee members acknowledged competing county priorities — notably the 911 replacement ask presented earlier — and asked administration and auditor staff to weigh available funds and timing. Roberts asked that any countywide salary adjustments be applied consistently to grant-supplemented positions that were previously excluded from across‑the‑board raises.

Roberts and his deputy said hiring qualified candidates currently takes many months and often yields applicants with limited experience; the proposed pay increase is intended to retain the current team and attract more experienced candidates for open roles.