In July, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners approved 13 new positions for the district’s attorney office and three positions for the sheriff’s office.According to the county, the additional personnel is necessary because the state of Colorado recently appointed two new judges to the Fourth Judicial District. The judges begin their terms Sept. 1 and are expected to have at least a 50-percent criminal caseload, which will require increased support from the district attorney and sheriff’s offices.State statutes require sheriff deputies to attend court proceedings and provide security for the courts. For the sheriff’s office, the additional staff will include two sworn deputies and one civilian position, who will assist with the additional workload, provide security and ensure expeditious and safe transport of prisoners to and from the courtrooms.The new staff members at the DA’s office will include seven attorneys, two investigators, two victim advocates, one paralegal and one legal secretary. “The two state-appointed judges will be adding greatly to our docket, and the additional staff is needed to handle and prosecute the ever-increasing criminal caseload in El Paso County,” said 4th Judicial District Attorney John Newsome.
