District attorney seeks investigators and prosecutors to handle multi‑year backlog, cites increased digital evidence

District Attorney (name not provided) told the commission on May 15 that the office is rebuilding staff after prior grant funding lapses and faces a backlog of felony matters that require additional prosecutors and investigators.

The DA said the office has hired a number of assistant district attorneys and expects another acceptance, that the office is restoring internship ties with the University of Georgia law school, and that it has reallocated one position to work with accountability courts and pretrial diversion. But he said the office lost several grant‑funded positions in FY‑25 and that the office needs more personnel to manage a rising intake of cases and a growing volume of digital evidence (body‑worn camera footage, real‑time crime center feeds and other video/audio evidence).

The DA said his FY‑26 request seeks to restore positions toward FY‑24 levels (from 23 positions in FY‑25 back toward 29 or 30) and specifically asked for additional investigator positions (three investigator positions estimated at roughly $80,000 each) and an additional assistant district attorney (the mayor included funding for one ADA and the DA has an additional $150,000 offer from Oconee County to support another ADA). He estimated the evidence workload has expanded substantially because multiple body cameras and other sources now create hours of footage per incident.

Commissioners asked about grant application timing; the DA said that lost prosecutor grants are on a multi‑year cycle and that the earliest re‑application opportunity would fund positions in 2027. He urged the commission to consider county funding to bridge the gap.

Commissioners acknowledged the DA’s staffing needs and asked for budget details; no formal action was taken at the meeting.