A.   A Community Prosecutor works in the community as well as in the courtroom. They work side by side with law enforcement as well as with community groups.

A.   Assistants Prosecutors of the Community Prosecution Unit serve the community by:

• Working side by side with the Police and Sheriff's Department in the investigation, the prosecution and the reduction of gun related violence.
• Reviewing cases from their inception with a view to successful prosecution.
• Assisting police in their investigations by reviewing arrest and search warrant requests, and by conducting investigative subpoenas to preserve witness testimony.
• Prosecuting violent crimes from their assigned location, including school and gang related violence.
• Working with community groups to identify and address the quality of life problems created by crime in the neighborhoods; whether this means seeking solutions to problem trash dumping, or by identifying dangerous, abandoned or drug selling houses for potential forfeiture.
• Addressing student and community groups on the state of the law, the criminal justice system and the services available from the Community Prosecutors

 

A.   Community APA's are on call 24 hours a day to assist police in investigations from their beginning. This can include reviewing search warrants and arrest warrants, as well as answering legal questions that may come up in the course of an investigations. Community Prosecutors also secure investigative subpoenas, which are used to preserve the testimony of witnesses who may otherwise be unwilling to cooperate with police. The Community Prosecutors work to be an asset to police in the successful investigation and prosecution of cases from the outset.

A.  Community Prosecutors meet regularly with local community groups and leaders to address concerns from neighborhood to neighborhood. One on-going and major concern is the problems created by drug houses and abandoned homes. When members of the community identify such problem houses, Community Prosecutors can co-ordinate raids on suspected drug houses by authorizing search warrants where appropriate, and can identify problem properties for forfeiture actions or other court proceedings aimed at eliminating the blight of derelict houses.

A.  Get involved. Each Police District has regular monthly community meetings that the Community Prosecutors attend. There are also many active neighborhood groups of citizens who come together to preserve and beautify their neighborhoods. By working together we can greatly improve the quality of life for our families, our neighbors and ourselves.