File name: JACBudgetHearings2014_20140115_064831.dcr Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\happropriations\My Documents\JAC Audio 2014 0 ~ 1/15/2014 7:29:34 AM ~ Start Recording 3 ~ 1/15/2014 7:29:37 AM ~ January 15, 2014 Agency Hearings AM session 20 ~ 1/15/2014 7:29:54 AM ~ Bebout: Chairman for the day. welcome and instructions. 35 ~ 1/15/2014 7:30:09 AM ~ Homar: Laramie County District Attorney 151-DA1 56 ~ 1/15/2014 7:30:30 AM ~ Homar: Issues in misdemeanor and domestic violence arena. Result of enforcement, training of officers, One attorney that does only domestic violence. 2:25 ~ 1/15/2014 7:31:59 AM ~ Bebout: numbers? 2:32 ~ 1/15/2014 7:32:06 AM ~ Homar: 800 cases of domestic violence in Cheyenne in 2012 vs 500 for Casper. Felonies with new strangulation law and aggravated assault. 80 felonies in office right now. 200 misdemeanor. 1 and 3/4 attorneys are handling misdemeanors. temp FT attorney now, would like in 15-16 budget. More child sexual assault cases My office is handling the cases well. 4:31 ~ 1/15/2014 7:34:05 AM ~ Hastert: 800 domestic violence in LC in 2012, 4:44 ~ 1/15/2014 7:34:18 AM ~ Homar: yes 4:48 ~ 1/15/2014 7:34:22 AM ~ Hastert: 80 felonies --how many domestic violence? 5:03 ~ 1/15/2014 7:34:37 AM ~ Homar: 80 are domestic violence felony. Total felony open cases are 300-350. Inc in marijuana possession. 6:02 ~ 1/15/2014 7:35:36 AM ~ Bebout: 6:07 ~ 1/15/2014 7:35:41 AM ~ Dockstader: 800 compared to 5 years ago? 6:20 ~ 1/15/2014 7:35:54 AM ~ Homar: 800 cases in one year are DCI numbers of arrest for domestic violence, may not be convictions. 5 years ago, do not know exact number. Numbers are going up. inc. is relative to enforcement and training. 7:29 ~ 1/15/2014 7:37:03 AM ~ Bebout: yesterday - attorney office. relationship with DCI and TFO's? 7:54 ~ 1/15/2014 7:37:28 AM ~ Homar: TFO? 8:01 ~ 1/15/2014 7:37:35 AM ~ Bebout: Task force .. 8:09 ~ 1/15/2014 7:37:44 AM ~ fHomar: Task force in SE - have had cuts. We have a HIDTA attorney, paid for with federal funds. High Intensity Drug Trafficing Areas. Budget cuts caused attorney to be less busy, no overtime to do drug enforcement. saw large drop in our cases. 9:45 ~ 1/15/2014 7:39:19 AM ~ Bebout: blance between responsible spending and protecting the citizens. impact to people? less protection? 10:22 ~ 1/15/2014 7:39:56 AM ~ Homar: protection of the people , more drugs on street makes it more dangerous. not being able to take down larrge drug orgs. Two meth labs this week. Haven't seen that for al ong time. 11:16 ~ 1/15/2014 7:40:50 AM ~ Bebout: DCI - go after it more than local? 11:31 ~ 1/15/2014 7:41:06 AM ~ Homar: yes. Meth labs were happenstance at finding. DCI gets users, then sellers, then work up the chain. concerning if they do not have the money, those people continue to operate. 12:10 ~ 1/15/2014 7:41:44 AM ~ Esquibel: jail capacity? 12:18 ~ 1/15/2014 7:41:52 AM ~ Homar: Always short staffed over there, feel like they are at capacity. Drug defendents not imprisoned for first offense and possibly not for 2nd or 3rd revocation. Do not have numbers from DOC or Sheriffs dept. 13:23 ~ 1/15/2014 7:42:57 AM ~ Esquibel: what about domestic violence cases? 13:35 ~ 1/15/2014 7:43:09 AM ~ homar: immediate arrest, immediate jail, recognizance after first appearance, dangerous individuals, take it seriously, incarcerated locally more often than many. 14:26 ~ 1/15/2014 7:44:00 AM ~ Esquibel: DOC issue, spoke with Sheriff, inmates have access to local paper. inmates send letters to young ladies written in blotter briefs. Brief has name and address. 15:18 ~ 1/15/2014 7:44:52 AM ~ Perkins: Training and law enforcement make everyone more attentive. societal inc? 15:41 ~ 1/15/2014 7:45:15 AM ~ Homar: I think it is both, bulk in inc. is because of enforcement. Domestic violence is higher in laramie county. Hit a woman lose your guns has had an impact. lose federal gun rights. 16:58 ~ 1/15/2014 7:46:32 AM ~ perkins: impression of drugs and alcohol in domestic violence? 17:18 ~ 1/15/2014 7:46:52 AM ~ homar: Nearly 100%. do not find many cases where drugs or alcohol are not involved in domestic violence. 17:53 ~ 1/15/2014 7:47:27 AM ~ Perkins: DUI's? 18:04 ~ 1/15/2014 7:47:38 AM ~ homar: even in LC. police dept doing a good job. down slightly from last year. 18:40 ~ 1/15/2014 7:48:14 AM ~ perkins: prosecutions - challengesin prosecuting the non alcohol cases ..marijuana. 19:17 ~ 1/15/2014 7:48:51 AM ~ homar: yes- without a test it is more difficult. can get a blood test for people under the influence. Challenges with forced blood draws. LC does. Without a task force, it is more difficult. Recognizing someone under the influence is difficult. Specialaized training for impairment. Battle of experts about meth in a particular vehicular homicide case. 20:45 ~ 1/15/2014 7:50:19 AM ~ Perkins: Trends - non-sexual child abuse, physcial child abuse? 21:04 ~ 1/15/2014 7:50:38 AM ~ Homar: not much fluctuation in that. one per month or less. significant amount more of sex cases. 21:35 ~ 1/15/2014 7:51:09 AM ~ perkins: rapes and unprosecuted rapes? 21:58 ~ 1/15/2014 7:51:32 AM ~ homar: I would like to think no. Cases in past..arrest, charged, learn things during investigation that make it impossible to go forward. Ex: credibility issues, provacative pictures sent night of rape. sexual assault, sexual abuse, domestic violence most difficult to prosecute because "he said" "she said" Credibility of victim. 23:52 ~ 1/15/2014 7:53:26 AM ~ Esquibel: When officer respons they give card with local info for groups that help. How does your office follow up with going home vs safehouse? 24:43 ~ 1/15/2014 7:54:17 AM ~ homar: prosectution case, do not know about victim until probable caue and report, victim witness staff call the victims. Victim witnes coordinators. Give referrals, make sure victims are there for testimony, etc. They get in touch with every one. 26:00 ~ 1/15/2014 7:55:34 AM ~ Hastert: DUI - rate of public intoxication? 26:25 ~ 1/15/2014 7:55:59 AM ~ Homar: do not have number for 2013 public intoxication. Most go through municipal court. Police dept would have those numbers, could addto county numbers. 27:02 ~ 1/15/2014 7:56:36 AM ~ hastert: catch 22 - someone chooses not to drive but is picked up walking for intoxicationj. 27:23 ~ 1/15/2014 7:56:57 AM ~ homar: better choice 27:28 ~ 1/15/2014 7:57:02 AM ~ Bebout: Budget 27:35 ~ 1/15/2014 7:57:09 AM ~ Homar: page 3 = total budget . Most is in the personal services, 100 series, salaries, 28:11 ~ 1/15/2014 7:57:45 AM ~ Bebout; Did you develop budget or did someone assist you internally? 28:24 ~ 1/15/2014 7:57:58 AM ~ Bebout: Staff that prepares then you review and comment. 28:36 ~ 1/15/2014 7:58:10 AM ~ Homar: used to, no longer have fiscal person. 28:44 ~ 1/15/2014 7:58:18 AM ~ Bebout: budget came from? 28:50 ~ 1/15/2014 7:58:24 AM ~ Homar: Budget office...same for a number of years. 4.2 M,. 20 FT employees. Page 4 = what we do , who we are. Need a population of 60,000 to qualify for a district attorney. Counties can come together and choose to do that. 30:01 ~ 1/15/2014 7:59:35 AM ~ Bebout: discussed last night...probably won't change. 30:14 ~ 1/15/2014 7:59:48 AM ~ Homar: appeals from the district court up to supreme court handled by AG office. Page. 5 shows the attorned and staff. 32:06 ~ 1/15/2014 8:01:40 AM ~ Nicholas: spreadsheet on number of cases , misdemeanors and felonies. 32:40 ~ 1/15/2014 8:02:14 AM ~ Homar: DCI reports have those numbers. Every time have resolution to case report to DCI. 33:13 ~ 1/15/2014 8:02:47 AM ~ Nicholas: Report handled arrests 33:27 ~ 1/15/2014 8:03:01 AM ~ Homar: does handle arrests and dispositions. Does not include all juvenile cases. Can provide if have list. 34:06 ~ 1/15/2014 8:03:40 AM ~ Nicholas: compare to other counties -- how demonstrate full workload. 34:43 ~ 1/15/2014 8:04:17 AM ~ 34:49 ~ 1/15/2014 8:04:23 AM ~ Homar: will develop report 35:00 ~ 1/15/2014 8:04:34 AM ~ Stubson: role of investigator related to police department 35:16 ~ 1/15/2014 8:04:50 AM ~ Homar: investigator invaluable to office. reason is that law or police officers don't have time because of case load. staff investigator knows his stuff knows people in town and helps prepare for trials. would have hard time asking police officers help prepare for trials, including criminal histories. 37:32 ~ 1/15/2014 8:07:06 AM ~ Homar: Run through staff. 1 deputy da, 2 asst disttrict attorney, senior district attorney for junveniles, asst DAs or juveniles, msidemanor and court. Support staff. Page 6. support staff for office, grant positions 41:12 ~ 1/15/2014 8:10:46 AM ~ Perkins all those federal grants 41:26 ~ 1/15/2014 8:11:00 AM ~ Homar: yes 41:31 ~ 1/15/2014 8:11:05 AM ~ Perkins: likelihood of grants continuing 41:48 ~ 1/15/2014 8:11:22 AM ~ Homar: Cary grant is through other agences is iffy, HIDTA is stable. Office also has individual from Safe House, interns from UW College of Law. Other things dones with DA office. Relevant to Stubson - investigator involved with fraud, identity theft investigation. Page.7 - performance measures -- difficult with regard to conviction rates - Laramie County in 2013 conviction rates high -- other programs are listed on bottom on page 7 including veteran support program, a drug type of program. 45:43 ~ 1/15/2014 8:15:17 AM ~ Monize: Heard that PTSD symptoms are occurring for police officers 46:04 ~ 1/15/2014 8:15:38 AM ~ Homar: he does because he sees this type of cases. Types of images would get to anyone. Attorneys show some signs too. 47:09 ~ 1/15/2014 8:16:43 AM ~ Moniz: How deal with issues 47:20 ~ 1/15/2014 8:16:54 AM ~ Homar: there is no program in place. he encourages them to talk with someone. Police departtment usually have a program. 47:55 ~ 1/15/2014 8:17:29 AM ~ Moniz: Would there be potential to work with military? 48:10 ~ 1/15/2014 8:17:44 AM ~ Homar: Doesn't know. Federal offices tend to keep them separate. He thought of local counselor to volunteer. We have one of the most successful programs -- work with scholld distrcts and not showing up to school. Through program a DFS employee will contact parents to discuss reasons child not coming to school. Overall succeee for 90-95%. Delinquencies, etc. down since 2007. Drug program, Internet crimes against childrens, Deputy DA assist in internet crimes against children. Also involved in Safe Harbor Team. The attornesy 53:01 ~ 1/15/2014 8:22:35 AM ~ Bebout: Sen. Burns bill could expunge a record of a drug felony. Have seen? 53:30 ~ 1/15/2014 8:23:04 AM ~ Homar: It is any felony not just drug. It is an unfunded mandate. They see many coming through. 2013 he dealt with 20-30. 54:16 ~ 1/15/2014 8:23:50 AM ~ Bebout: How many successful? 54:29 ~ 1/15/2014 8:24:03 AM ~ Homar: Most of them. It is up to judge. 54:46 ~ 1/15/2014 8:24:20 AM ~ Bebout: Go where county attorney is 55:03 ~ 1/15/2014 8:24:37 AM ~ Homar: determination about support or not of expungement 55:24 ~ 1/15/2014 8:24:58 AM ~ Bebout: doesn't usually have unfunded mandates 55:41 ~ 1/15/2014 8:25:15 AM ~ Perkins: Page 7 . There are indexed felonies. 56:03 ~ 1/15/2014 8:25:37 AM ~ Harbor: Most are felonies. Theft is an indexed crime 56:31 ~ 1/15/2014 8:26:05 AM ~ Perkins: Do you 57:12 ~ 1/15/2014 8:26:46 AM ~ Harbor: For most part defense attorneys don't have to prepare a prosecution. 57:48 ~ 1/15/2014 8:27:22 AM ~ Perkins: If look at that kind of standard - upper end of prosecutions 58:09 ~ 1/15/2014 8:27:43 AM ~ Harbor; It said 150 prosecutions. Most have 50-60 open felony cases. 58:31 ~ 1/15/2014 8:28:05 AM ~ Perkins: If standard less than 150, should have 20 attorneys. You might have 5 or 6 attorneys. 59:08 ~ 1/15/2014 8:28:42 AM ~ Harbor: correct have 6 felony attorneys. 59:36 ~ 1/15/2014 8:29:10 AM ~ Harbor: Page 8 priority of requests 1:00:00 ~ 1/15/2014 8:29:34 AM ~ Harbor: exception request on page 10 1:00:15 ~ 1/15/2014 8:29:49 AM ~ Harbor: Page 11 standard budget requests. Some changes to couple of these on handouts (to page 12). Page 13 talks about average week in DA office. Felony attorneys may have to be ready for 2 or 3 cases a week. Attend committee and team meetings-- juvenile court, etc. No revenue in DA office. Page 14 talks about grants. Gov. approved standard budget questions. Page 15 budget requests 1:03:58 ~ 1/15/2014 8:33:32 AM ~ Nicholas: Computer towers more expensive. Any particular reasons? 1:04:27 ~ 1/15/2014 8:34:01 AM ~ Homar: Things deal including internet crimes against children, case tracking software , etc. Requires a high level. Recommended by IT. Own server. They are separate from State. 1:05:51 ~ 1/15/2014 8:35:25 AM ~ Nicholas: Incrase in $6K for WestLaw. Is this for each attorney. 1:06:18 ~ 1/15/2014 8:35:52 AM ~ Homar: Doesn't know why different from . Every attorney has access. Don't have a special plan - just Wyoming plan. Any additional research have to pay extra. A 5% increase expected in cost for WestLaw. 1:07:27 ~ 1/15/2014 8:37:01 AM ~ Nicholas: Do you have access to state supply warehouse for chairs... 1:07:46 ~ 1/15/2014 8:37:20 AM ~ Homar: Do have access. Conference room includes chairs not matching and left over from offices. 1:08:24 ~ 1/15/2014 8:37:58 AM ~ Bebout: Know where some chairs will be coming from. 1:08:36 ~ 1/15/2014 8:38:11 AM ~ Harbor: Three requests approved by Gov. and have gone through EOS. 1:09:04 ~ 1/15/2014 8:38:38 AM ~ Bebout: Relationship with EOS. 1:09:17 ~ 1/15/2014 8:38:51 AM ~ Harbor: Good. They have cut them back. 1:09:34 ~ 1/15/2014 8:39:08 AM ~ Harbor: Page 18 Budget request with codes. 1:09:55 ~ 1/15/2014 8:39:29 AM ~ Bebout: one position 1:10:01 ~ 1/15/2014 8:39:35 AM ~ Harbor: One position is 3/4 time attorney a gap after shifting and retirement occurred. Once position was fill learned it was just 3/4 and not full. Appropriate authorization was not had. So have temporary full time. Will need 1/4 time fo create a full time. Request for biennium now includes full time position. Page 3 in the packet. Attachment shows 19 positions with 8 full time positions. Will now have 6 legal assistant and not HR assistant. Page 2 shows current staff. 1:15:55 ~ 1/15/2014 8:45:29 AM ~ Bebout: revenue neutral 1:16:04 ~ 1/15/2014 8:45:39 AM ~ Harbor: Revenue negative. Page 2 is spreadsheet shows about savings of $7250 because of difference for retirement of senior position. 1:16:57 ~ 1/15/2014 8:46:31 AM ~ Bebout: Thanks for doing this. Questions 1:17:11 ~ 1/15/2014 8:46:45 AM ~ Meier: #/4 time clerical person. Beneftis? 1:17:31 ~ 1/15/2014 8:47:05 AM ~ Harbor: No benefits. 1:17:39 ~ 1/15/2014 8:47:13 AM ~ Bebout: Don prepare as amendment for committee. Scott, doesn't expect a call back. 1:18:08 ~ 1/15/2014 8:47:42 AM ~ 1:19:13 ~ 1/15/2014 8:48:47 AM ~ Stop Recording