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DA and solicitor urge county help to hire investigators, shift payroll to retain prosecutors
Summary
DA Herb Cranford and the solicitor described heavy caseloads, higher violent crime counts in Troup County and recruitment challenges; they asked the county to consider moving a staffer to county payroll to lower benefit costs and to add an investigator to support prosecutions.
District Attorney Herb Cranford told commissioners his office faces high caseloads and turnover and asked the county to consider moving at least one employee to county payroll to reduce employer benefit costs, freeing funds for raises or additional hires.
"For every dollar I give somebody in salary, I have to allocate 70¢ to pay for benefits," Cranford said, explaining that shifting one position could free money for other needs. He reported about "31 open murder cases in Troup County alone" and detailed challenges recruiting attorneys and investigators; he asked commissioners to consider adding a DA investigator, who could be hired as a county employee or sworn as a reserve deputy to permit cross‑training.
The solicitor (speaker 7) echoed the need for investigators and described procedural burdens (subpoena service changes and heavy calendars) that make investigator support valuable. Both offices said any addition would improve case preparation and victim contact and reduce reliance on already‑stretched law enforcement.
