What is a County Attorney?

There has not been a contested election for Polk County Attorney in 30 years, so understandably, some folks aren't aware of what their County Attorney does, or that this is even an elected position.

County Attorneys (called District Attorneys in some states) are the top law enforcement officials in their jurisdiction.

What does the County Attorney do?

The County Attorney sets the the tone for what criminal and juvenile justice looks like in her jurisdiction.

She sets the policies of the office and manages the office. She sets the priorities for the office. She interfaces with community partners to keep the residents of Polk County safe. She advocates for positive changes in our community and much more.

Why do County Attorneys matter?

County Attorneys have a huge amount of unilateral power: they alone can decide who gets charged with a crime, who gets to enter a diversion program, whether there will be sentencing enhancements added, whether or not to dismiss charges, and more.

Everything in our criminal and juvenile justice systems: including charges, plea deals, suggested sentences, whether to request cash bail or not and more, is under the control of the County Attorney.

County Attorneys have enormous impact on people's lives and on our communities. You have a voice in how you want our justice system to function when you vote for County Attorney.

Where can I go to learn more?

Here are some helpful links if you have more questions about County (District/State's) Attorneys and what they do.

https://www.aclum.org/en/what-difference-da-makes-0

https://fairandjustprosecution.org/about-fjp/our-work-and-vision/