Serving justice by always changing

Our office continually improves its policies, procedures and programs

Former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy once said, “Every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on.”

My view of the kind of law enforcement Allegheny County demands began with my father, a chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. His tenure on the bench taught me that justice is nonpartisan and blind and that the prosecutor who seeks to find her must represent the people without prejudice.

For years, my view of the district attorney’s office as apolitical was commended as a strength, and I wore the characterization “not a good politician” as a badge of honor. I viewed the act of holding press conferences to elaborate on how I was reforming the criminal justice system as self-serving. And I felt that using the podium for any purpose other than speaking to the people on issues of public safety was inappropriate. Today, however, the political

climate is changing, as are people’s expectations. They have the right to know more about my record.

Throughout the primary campaign, I have had the opportunity to hear concerns from voters in the city, the suburbs and rural areas. Their views vary immensely. For a prosecutor to successfully serve them all is a dynamic process rooted in continuous improvement and victims’ rights. I believe I have done this.

I am proud of the 11 diversionary courts we have developed to get people more help and lower rates of incarceration. The opioid crisis is upon us, and I always have viewed addiction as a health issue requiring treatment, not a crime needing punishment. I have regarded domestic violence as a complex family issue that often forces a victim to choose between financial security and physical safety. This is why I established a Domestic Violence Unit to help entire families.

I am proud that we have reduced the financial burden of the criminal justice system on the poor by working for more than a decade to eliminate cash bail. Toward this end, I have asked the state Supreme Court for more oversight of our bail processes. And I always will encourage our magistrates to be mindful of the burden that cash bail places on low-income defendants.

I am proud that our senior programming protects our parents and grandparents from fraud and abuse and ensures their final years are spent comfortably with dignity.

I am proud of the work I have done to address the needs and concerns of the LGBTQ community. I have asked state and local lawmakers to classify attacks on members of this community as hate crimes.

In my next term, I plan to open more warrant offices to ensure that all of our police departments work together as seamlessly as possible and to provide oversight of how police file felony charges. When we charge people with felonies, we change their lives and that is not to be done hastily.

We also are further developing a GPS monitoring program for people subject to protection-from-abuse orders, alerting police immediately if they cross into a restricted area. This prevents further incidents of domestic violence and makes victims feel safer.

On Tuesday, the people of Allegheny County will once again decide on the type of criminal justice system they want. Election Day is not about me or my opponent, it is about the 1.4 million people of Allegheny County. There is no act by which Americans accomplish more — without uttering a word — than when they cast their votes.

On this Election Day, we all must exercise our right to be heard and insist upon the type of government we aspire to have.