Committee approves adding county investigator to authorized vehicle driver list

The Safety and Legal Affairs Committee on July 16 approved a request from Acting District Attorney Mr. Dodonna to add investigator Sean Ralph to the county list of employees authorized to drive county-owned vehicles to and from work and while conducting official duties. Dodonna told the committee Ralph regularly uses a county-owned vehicle to transport witnesses and collect evidence and that listing him on the authorized-drivers roster would formalize that practice.

"Our investigator, Sean Ralph, he operates a county vehicle that he drives to and from work on a regular basis," Mr. Dodonna said, adding the investigator routinely picks up witnesses and evidence. Chair (speaker 1) asked staff to confirm with the county attorney’s office whether the county’s legal framework permits transporting non-police individuals in county vehicles.

A motion to add the investigator to the authorized list was moved and seconded and the committee recorded a roll-call vote; members present voted to carry the motion. The clerk recorded affirmative votes from Wilbur, Mickel, Powers, Brilliant and Fazil. The committee did not specify a change to written policy in the meeting; Chair asked staff to coordinate with the county attorney’s office on any required legal changes or clarifications.

The committee’s approval formalizes an operational practice the district attorney described as necessary for transporting witnesses and handling evidence; staff will follow up with the county attorney on any legal or policy requirements.