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Home My WebLink About10/08/2024 04.B. Prosecution Division Budget Presentation i4 �e+ i 1.:4'" \C.;:.. ..:+>1 BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 4.B. For Meeting of: October 8, 2024 ITEM TITLE: Prosecution Division Budget Presentation SUBMITTED BY: Sara Watkins, City Attorney *Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Budget overview of services and costs provided by the City Legal Prosecution Division. ITEM BUDGETED: N/A STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Safe and Healthy Yakima RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Prosecution_Budget Presentation.pdf 38 (--Arim ;\ 4 „„„„.„ Office of the City Attorney 25 - 26 Priority- Based Budget Sara Watkins City Attorney Cynthia Martinez City Prosecutor 39 2025 - 2026 LegalProsecution Priorit - Basey Biennial Budget Priority Level Program Name Justification of Priority Level A Sate & Healthy Yakima A Resilient Yakima A Thriving Yakima An Engaged Yakima This Unit prosecutes approximately 1,200 cases each year, the majority of which are domestic violence related charges. The Unit includes prosecutors, victim advocacy coordinators, and legal staff. They receive specialized training and participate in the collaborative Family and Community Domestic Violence Coalition with service providers and Violence Unit stakeholders. $ 968,692 This Unit prosecutes approximately 2,000 cases each year, including DUI and theft charges. The Unit includes prosecutors and legal staff. They participate in Traffic and Property collaborative meetings with Loss Prevention Officers of Crimes Unit local retailers. $ 772,358 This Unit reviews all police reports, evaluates them, and determines if the reports meet legal requirements and standards of proof before they are filed in Yakima Charging Unit Municipal Court. $ 259,914 The Community Diversion provides an alternative to defendants who wish to address the root issues leading to criminal behavior. It is open to non-violent offenses 40 3 Community Diversion and reduces recidivism. $ 80,727 Program Name Non-monetized services provided by the department that appear critical but are not budgeted: 2025 2 0 2 6 Office administration,management&supervision;assist with day-to-day operations; budget and financial management; Human Administrative Services Resources and personnel management; procurement of government goods and services; property management—office remodels. Domestic Violence Currently the Family and Community Violence Unit attends the Domestic Violence Coalition,but that is due to adequate staffing to L ega I Coalition cover while they are at the meeting. Processing of U-VISA applications. A U visa is a temporary visa issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services U-VISA (USCIS).It gives victims of certain crimes(&sometimes their children)temporary legal status and eligibility to work in the United Prosecution• States. Review of these requests are mandated by law. Safety Committee Participating in monthly City sponsored safety committee meetings. YPD In-Service Training Annual in-service training provided to all Yakima Police officers. • • A Stipulated Order of Continuance(SOC)is an agreement between the prosecutor&the defendant.In return for completion of a F SOC Restitution number of conditions,the case is dismissed at the end of the monitored program.Defendants who enter into an SOC pay their restitution at the City Legal Dept&payment is forwarded to the victim by City Legal staff. B i e n n i a I Budget ereries Meetings Computer program conversion-current system end of life;takes large commitment from staff to attend meetings,trainings. Prosecution Conflicts The City handles conflicts for other jurisdictions,in exchange for those jurisdictions handling City of Yakima conflicts. Sex Offender Trespass Assist in the preparation&service of Notice Pursuant to RCW 9A.44.193 to registered sex offenders who reside near the City's swimming pools barring them from such public facility. Drug&Asset Forfeiture Seizure&forfeiture of personal property,currency,real property,vehicles involved in DUI,physical control,&ignition interlock violations. Public Records The Legal Department helps review public records request responses before they are released to requestors. Community Engagement The Legal Department is sometimes asked to attend,or invited to,various community groups,such as the Homeless Network, Homeless Coalition,meetings with City staff and donors or volunteers,and other similar meetings. Grant Application and Applying for a Federal,State,or local grant is time consuming. If the grant is awarded,the grant administrator must ensure that Administration the grant requirements are met,submit monthly or quarterly reports to the funding agency. Loss Prevention Officer (LPO)Meeting Traffic and Property Crime prosecutors attend the monthly retail LPO meetings hosted by law enforcement. Attendance Attorneys are consistently asked to provide presentations and/or training at state-wide municipal law training conferences due to Trainings/Presentations the attorneys'knowledge and experience in municipal law practice areas. The City of Yakima is a consistent presenter at the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys conferences. 3 41 �S 4 LEGAL SERVICES FUNCTIONS CHART Legal Division Civil Division Office Prosecution Division Management and Administration Legal advice and counsel on all areas — Charge and prosecute crimes under the municipal code of law Provide advice and counsel on criminal law and procedure, Contract and document review including training for officers Provide victims of family violence resources and support Risk Management, liability and litigation Operate the Community Diversion Program Draft ordinances, contracts, real estate documents, resolutions, and legal opinions Attend Council and committee meetings; other meetings where legal counsel may be advantageous 42 FAMILY AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE UNIT Priority Level 1 Familyan CommunityVio ence Unit • Unit handles: • 2 Prosecutors • DV Crimes • 2 DV Advocacy Coordinators • Harassment and Stalking - (grant funded ) • Other Crimes of Violence • 1 Legal Assistant Approximately 1,200 cases • Special DV training prosecuted by the unit. These cases • Works wi h RT* DV depend on the cooperation of o s t CC * , victims and witnesses. The DV Community Coalition, and HRT* Coordinators support the victims in their efforts to keep Coordinated Community Response Team -meets Daily themselves and their children safe *High Risk DV Team — meets weekly and engaged through the prosecution process. 44 TRAFFIC AND PROPERTY CRIMES UNIT Priority Level 1 Traffic and PropertyCrimes Unit • 2 Prosecutors • Unit handles : I • 2 Legal Assistants • Hit Hit and Run • 1 Traffic Safety Resource • Criminal and Contested Infraction Traffic Prosecutor (grant funded ) • DOL Licensing Violations • Possession of Controlled Substance • Theft, Shoplifting • Other Nuisance Cases Approximately 2,000 cases a year • Special DUI and Traffic Crime prosecuted by the unit. These Training case typically rely on law enforcement officer or • Works cooperatively with Retail professional witness testimony. Loss Prevention Officers 46 CHARGING UNIT Priority Level 1 Charging Unit • 1 Prosecutor • Unit handles: • 1 Legal Assistant • Charges referred to the prosecution unit • Evidence management • All prosecutors and legal assistants • Community Diversion Program help with charging on busy • Pre-Filing Diversion Program mornings • Reviews approximately 4,575 case • Cases must be filed by 7:45 am referrals a year • Monitors case filings to ensure the division does not exceed the resources provided by Council - 3,200 cases a year 48 COMMUNITY DIVERSION Priority Level 3 Community Diversion Program ( CDP • The City of Yakima Community Diversion Program is a therapeutic diversion program • The numbers: designed to help criminal justice system • 204 participants participants overcome barriers to success and • 51 graduates to thereby reduce recidivism within the criminal justice system. • 80% of graduates remain crime • CDP engages non-violent offenders who are free* 432 community services committing lower level crimes that affects the hours completed quality of life in the City of Yakima by • 3 of our graduates are now connecting willing participants to work and substance abuse counselors and life skills programming to address the underlying issues that are driving criminal numerous other graduates are behavior. Using a combination of offender now gainfully employed and have needs assessment, wrap around social improved relationships with their services, and intensive case monitoring, the families CDP operates with the goal of assisting the offenders with getting the services they need *excluding DWLS 3 and NVOL 1 charges to put their lives back on track and break the cycle of constant offense recidivism. 50 Legal Department Prosecution 2025 & 2026 Budget Requests Priority Level Description Request Fund 2025 additional request 2026 additional request Priority Promotion from Senior City Attorney I to Senior Assistant City High Attorney II 1 FTE GF $32,000 $34,500 A Safe and Healthy Yakima Promotion from Assistant City High Attorney II to Senior Assistant City Attorney I 1 FTE GF $22,000 $24,500 A Safe and Healthy Yakima Addition of a Victim Advocate High Coordinator 1 FTE GF $102,119 $104,522 A Safe and Healthy Yakima 51 i`.`.: • 52