Athens-Clarke County Commissioners are expected to discuss tonight a proposal by Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez to help combat gang activity. Gonzalez presented the plan to commissioners at a work session last week.
If approved, the Commission would spend around $267,000 to fund three new positions focusing solely on gang prosecutions – an assistant district attorney, a victim advocate, and an investigator.
Gonzalez told commissioners at a work session last week that having a dedicate gang unit in the DA’s office would make for a more efficient working relationship with the ACCPD’s existing gang unit.
"If we can have a dedicated gang unit, then [Police Chief Jerry Saulters'] gang people don't have to go to eight different ADAs or 12 different ADAs," Gonzalez told lawmakers. "They go to one and that's going to help us create better communication between these two units."
In response to questioning from District 5 Commissioner Dexter Fisher, Gonzalez said that, while ACCPD has detectives in its gang unit, the proposed investigator for her office would be focused on gathering information to help a prosecutor to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Commissioners are expected to decide at their agenda-setting meeting tonight whether the proposal will see a vote on February 7.
