(Debra Owen says public safety is in danger)…The Counties Deputy District Attorney went before the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

She said the County was losing attorneys at a tremendous rate. She told the Board that their refusal to allow competitive wages, attorneys are fleeing to other Counties. She said it was a serious problem in the Prosecutors office, and was sure the Public defenders were experiencing the same problem. Owen said there were only three attorneys in the D.A.’s office left with trial experience, and that included her and two other supervising attorneys. She said the Board needed to prioritize public safety and increase the wages by more than 2.5 percent. She said without adequate attorneys, public safety was in danger. The Board did not respond to the comments because they were made under public comments and the issue was not on the agenda.