The 'high risk intake team' is designed to allow more prosecutors to chip away at priority cases in their off hours in exchange for an extra hourly stipend.
District Attorney Joe Gonzales, Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus listen to questions from residents during a Public Safety Town Hall at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in September.Bexar County leaders are allowing District Attorney Joe Gonzales to use the salaries of unfilled prosecutor positions to fund overtime work on cases involving violent crime and repeat offenders.
Commissioners who approved the proposal were skeptical about a plan funded by the presumption of future staffing shortages. Attorneys at the DA’s office received some of the county’s largesta string of recent shootings It’s “humanly impossible for responding prosecutors to get to every one of those cases,” he told commissioners.
Though the new program, more staff members would be able to contribute to that work, outside of their regular assignments. They would be paid hourly based on experience, between $42 and $52 per hour.Once a suspect is in custody, prosecutors have 90 days to prepare their case for indictment, or else the suspect can request a bond reduction or a personal recognizance bond.
Even so, the presentation said that Gonzales, who was first elected in 2018, has gone from an inherited backlog of 8,639 cases to 6,083 cases this year.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
BCSO searching for 12-year-old girl last seen in East Bexar CountyThe Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 12-year-old girl who disappeared in East Bexar County.
Read more »
HELP US FIND: 12-year-old girl goes missing last week in Far East Bexar CountySAN ANTONIO - The Bexar County Sheriff's Office needs your help to find a local missing girl.Diamond Marie Hunt, 12, was last seen around 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 3
Read more »
Bexar County to decide state constitutional amendments, river authority seats on Election DayIn Bexar County, voters will select two new members of the San Antonio River Authority's board of directors from among five candidates.
Read more »
Bexar County voters back $7.3 million green space project at Arboretum San AntonioSAN ANTONIO - Bexar County voters have decided to fund a $7.3 million investment to the Arboretum San Antonio.The investment will go towards the new green space
Read more »
Off-duty Bexar County deputy arrested for alleged assault, faces dishonorable dischargeSAN ANTONIO -An off-duty Bexar County Sheriff's Office deputy officer was arrest for Assault Bodily Injury-Married by the Comal County Sheriff's Office.
Read more »
Bexar County approves $2M for overtime at the jail, awaits benefits of hiring, retention incentivesThe amount of overtime is consistent with figures from last year as the benefits of recently approved hiring and retention incentives have yet to pay off.
Read more »