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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake's city and county mayors have proposed bringing the City Prosecutor's Office and the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office under one roof.
The one-year pilot program aims to save money and streamline the two offices' efforts. Under the partnership, District Attorney Sim Gill would take over leadership of the City Prosecutor's Office, which he headed for 10 years.
"This is something (the district attorney's office) has been thinking about for a long time," Gill said. "This is really what happens when you can bring policymakers in a collaborative approach between city and county. … This is really a win-win for both entities, and as a result, our whole community wins."
The City Prosecutor's Office handles misdemeanor cases for crimes committed in Salt Lake City such as domestic violence, DUI, vandalism, sex solicitation and others. The district attorney's office prosecutes felony crimes committed throughout Salt Lake County as well as civil government issues.
Together, the two offices could end up managing nearly 40,000 cases each year.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams said in a joint statement that the partnership would increase efficiency while enhancing regional service options.
The partnership must be approved by both the city and county councils. If approved, the combined office could become a reality as early as Sept. 1.
Salt Lake County Council Chairman Richard Snelgrove said the County Council is supportive of the pilot program and anticipates a smooth approval process. He called it a "win-win-win deal" for not only Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, but also taxpayers.
"This will drive greater economies of scale by consolidating functions and streamlining procedures," Snelgrove said. "There's no downside to this."
Gill, who supported the idea as it was discussed over the past year, sees great potential in the partnership.
"We're also going to be able to better coordinate treatment options and therapeutic justice models," Gill said. "That is going to help complement our criminal justice reform issues that we're working on as a county as well as trying to implement state issues."
Linking the prosecutor's office and the district attorney's office creates "synergy" between the two, Gill said. For example, attorneys coming to work for the City Prosecutor's Office would be able to train with and eventually make a transition into the district attorney's office.
Pointing to collaboration between his office and Salt Lake police to better treat offenders, Gill said, "If we can make any kind of impact on the population that we're dealing with that's flowing into the county jail just from that law enforcement agency, now that we can (work) with both the misdemeanors and the felonies. We will have a significant impact in the entire criminal justice system as it currently exists in Salt Lake County."
Though additional work and responsibility would come to Gill as he manages both offices, ultimately he believes it will be small compared to overall gains. Gill would take over full management of the City Prosecutor's Office, including policymaking, hiring and budgeting.
Calls to Salt Lake City Prosecutor Padma Veeru-Collings were instead returned by a spokesman from Becker's office, who said her place in the combined office has yet to be determined. Veeru-Collings worked in the prosecutor's office for 13 years before receiving the appointment from Becker in 2011.
The two offices would remain physically separate through the one-year pilot, but could potentially be joined at one location in the future, Gill said. Meanwhile, those working in the prosecutor's office remain city employees.
Snelgrove said the County Council expects to begin reviewing the plan in 45 days after Becker and McAdams iron out the details.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office employs 226 people while the City Prosecutor's Office employes 32 people, according to their websites.
