Candidate Surveys — Benton County Prosecutor

I am running for reelection because I love Benton County and I believe this county has a bright future. As the prosecuting attorney, I have a unique opportunity to do justice, hold offenders accountable, support crime victims, and advocate for the interests of our community. Great communities don't just happen. They must be protected. I am honored to play a key role in shaping a safe and thriving community.

I decided to run for office because victims of crime, law enforcement and citizens of Benton County have lost faith in the incumbent’s ability to hold offenders who commit violent crimes fully accountable. Victims feel the incumbent does not prioritize or listen to them. His insistence on putting politics in the forefront has resulted in victims of crime and therapeutic courts becoming afterthoughts and office staff feeling undervalued. If elected, I plan to rectify these shortcomings.

I will enforce the law and hold criminal offenders accountable for their conduct. I will support crime victims, and I will work with others to promote the welfare of the Tri-Cities and Benton County.

First, I want to restore victims’ confidence and trust in the Prosecutor’s Office. This begins with communication. Victims are the ones who suffered and know best how it affected them. Listening to them not only makes them feel like a part of the case, but it provides Prosecutors with more information and equips them with the ability to make solid decisions on the case. Secondly, addressing the backlog of cases in the Prosecutor’s Office needs to be made a priority. There is currently a backlog of over 500 cases waiting for charging decisions to be made. This backlog is not only unfair to victims of crimes whose lives are often on hold until a case is resolved, and they finally see their day in court, but it is also demoralizing to the law enforcement officers who investigate and build the cases. The longer cases sit on a desk instead of being acted upon, the weaker they become. Witnesses’ memories fade, evidence may be lost or destroyed, and defendants may continue to commit crimes. Some of the most vulnerable during this time are victims of domestic violence. Thirdly, while we need to hold offenders who commit violent crimes and sex offenses fully accountable, we need to support therapeutic courts for the right offenders and the right cases. Benton County used to be a leader in the state in developing Drug Courts, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court and other therapeutic courts. Thanks to dedicated Judges, court staff, and community resources such as the Veterans Center's mentor program, agencies that help those with addiction and/or mental health challenges, we still have excellent therapeutic courts. However, they are suffering from the lack of support from the current Prosecutor. If elected, I will prioritize and fix that.

Elected officials are public servants. The call of the public servant is to serve the people and always do the right thing. When our leaders act with integrity and truth, their focus is on meeting the needs of the public, not advancing their own interests. Those who lead with integrity are more interested in getting it right for the people than always being right. Their focus is on connecting with others, rather than creating barriers and separation, to carry out the mission of public service.

Our world would be a much better place if elected officials always did the right thing. I can speak best about how the Prosecutor's Office and our justice system would be better. A Prosecutor faces tough decisions daily. It can be tempting to make a decision that may seem popular but often times may not be the right decision. A political Prosecutor who spends their time working on political contacts and in political meetings does not spend enough time in the courtroom seeking justice or meeting with and listening to victims of crime. Nor does that Prosecutor spend the time needed to work with law enforcement to earn their trust and respect. A Prosecutor who does the right thing will not reduce a serious case to avoid a tough trial but will lead by example and do the hard work in reducing backlogs and inspire deputy prosecutors to do the same. A Prosecutor focused on politics can miss the opportunity to spend time understanding the value of therapeutic courts. A Prosecutor focused on always doing the right thing will understand that therapeutic courts may not get headlines and political prestige but that supporting them is the right thing to do. These courts have the ability to turn lives around and reduce future crime. This not only reduces harm to the participants themselves, but also to the community and can also save tax dollars. This is the kind of Prosecutor I will be. Not a politician, but a Prosecutor dedicated to justice.