Title
Human Resources Department and the District Attorney’s Office recommending the Board consider the following related to the District Attorney’s Office:
1) Approve and adopt the District Attorney’s Office department specific class specification of Assistant Chief Investigator (District Attorney); and
2) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 176-2021 to:
a) Approve the salary range, job class number, and bargaining unit for the new classification of Assistant Chief Investigator (District Attorney);
b) Addition of 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Assistant Chief Investigator (District Attorney) allocation;
c) Addition of 1.0 FTE Assistant District Attorney allocation;
d) Deletion of 1.0 FTE Investigator (District Attorney) allocation; and
e) Deletion of 1.0 FTE Deputy District Attorney I-IV allocation in the District Attorney’s Office in the Authorized Personnel Allocation Resolution.
FUNDING: Grant Funding and General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney’s Office submitted a request to develop a new classification, which will assist with administrative, executive and professional functions within the Investigative Division of the District Attorney's Office.
The Chief Investigator (District Attorney) describes a need for a classification that assists the Chief Investigator (D.A) in providing general direction and oversight for assigned staff within the Investigative Division within the District Attorney's Office. Due to an organizational change in the District Attorney’s Office, the Chief Investigator (D.A) requested a classification that could provide highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Chief Investigator (D.A), Assistant District Attorney and District Attorney; coordinate and direct the work of the division; and also perform specialized and complex investigative work in connection with the more significant, technical, and/or complex issues in the prosecution of criminal and civil cases.
Therefore, Human Resources developed the classification of Assistant Chief Investigator (District Attorney) through research of market data and meetings with the District Attorney’s Office. The addition of this position will be offset by the deletion of one (1) District Attorney Investigator allocation, which is currently vacant.
The District Attorney is seeking to add a second Assistant District Attorney position to the executive management team. The addition of this position will be offset by the deletion of one (1) Deputy District Attorney allocation, which is currently vacant.
The criminal justice system has undergone massive changes in the last several years. These changes have greatly increased the workload at every level within the District Attorney’s Office, including the workload of the current Assistant District Attorney. As a result, the Assistant District Attorney is unable to meet the demands of the position and, after careful analysis of our needs office-wide, it has become clear that a second Assistant District Attorney position is absolutely necessary.
In response to the many recent changes to the Criminal Justice System, the District Attorney’s Office has developed, implemented and maintained a variety of new, innovative programs and has both improved and expanded the service we provide to the public. Many of these programs have required the development of specialized units and sub-units within the office that are often grant funded. For example, the Victim Witness Unit has seven (7) different grants that provide approximately 1.7 million in state and federal funding to support the programs that serve our most vulnerable crime victims; children, the elderly and adult victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. These programs require a multi-disciplinary approach that includes counselors, advocates, attorneys, investigators and support staff. These team members all require special training and management from their direct supervisors, and those supervisors all require the supervision of the Assistant District Attorney. The Victim Witness Unit is only one example of many. Our office has developed specialized units and sub units to address Traffic Safety (DUI), Welfare Fraud, Worker’s Compensation & Insurance Fraud, Real Estate Fraud, and Consumer Fraud. We also continue to maintain more traditional units such as the Special Victim’s Unit (child physical & sexual abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse), the Cold Case Task Force (unsolved homicides) and a Conviction Integrity Unit.
In addition, there has been an expansion of Specialty Courts to meet the demands of new legislation, requiring the development of policies and procedures, specialized training and expanded supervision by the Assistant District Attorney. Veteran’s Court, Mental Health Diversion and changes to the law that have made almost all misdemeanor crimes eligible for diversion are just a few examples.
The District Attorney’s Office is constantly striving to improve how we fulfill our mission to seek justice on behalf of the people of El Dorado County. These improvements sometimes necessitate structural changes, such as the one proposed here, in order to be successful.
The Assistant District Attorney position was previously allocated in the department and as a way to reduce expenses in past years, the department deleted the allocation. The District Attorney has determined the allocation of the second Assistant District Attorney level is needed within the department and is requesting that allocation be added back into the department.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt the new classification, or requested allocations and direct Human Resources to make revisions or conduct additional analysis.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
NA
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
District Attorney’s Office
El Dorado County Law Enforcement Management Association
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended, noting the DA has agreed to absorb the increased cost in future years.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The increase in salary associated with the Chief Assistant Investigator add and the Investigator (DA) delete is estimated at $33,384 annually. The increase in salary associated with the Assistant District Attorney add and the Deputy District Attorney delete is estimated at $38,667 annually. These costs will be partially offset with grant funding in the department and overtime savings in the Investigations unit. The District Attorney has agreed to mitigate ongoing cost increases through the reduction of costs in other areas.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide a copy of the executed Resolution to Heather Andersen in Human Resources.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Joe Alexander, Assistant Chief District Attorney
Jeff Dreher, Chief of Investigations (District Attorney)
Joseph Carruesco, Director of Human Resources