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The arrival of summer heat didn’t slow things down at The People’s Office as June was a busy month of comings and goings, milestones, celebrations and partnership at the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
As the month began, we marked a meaningful milestone of hitting the $1 million mark for restitution made to victims of fraud. Continuing the excellent work of former Fraud Unit lead Nick Spare, the unit’s new Prosecuting Attorney Julia Kaiserman saw that benchmark achieved as the unit she heads marked its one-year anniversary. The People’s Office is excited to watch that figure grow as Julia, one of three original attorneys when the Coalition Against Retail Fraud (CART) was formed, continues to work diligently on behalf of victims and the community in pursuit of fraud prevention and justice.
Speaking of personnel changes – a common occurrence in an office employing some 350 talented and ambitious public servants – we have had a handful of notable ones this month.
As previously noted, Sofia Blue has the enviable assignment of succeeding outgoing Community Outreach Coordinator Patrick Robles as she joins the Senior Leadership Team. Following Patrick may be a tough act, but it is one full of wonderful opportunities to work in the diverse and dynamic communities that make up Pima County to promote public safety and justice while making new friends and building productive relationships.
Let us know about opportunities to meet you and your neighbors by contacting Sofia here, and look for her and the PCAO team when we are near you!
PCAO is also pleased to welcome veteran Tucson attorney Joey Flynn to our Civil Division, where she will oversee the Tort Unit, the team of lawyers who look out for the interests of Pima County taxpayers and defends elected County officials and employees in cases alleging liability in personal injury and civil rights claims. Joey comes to PCAO after a 27-year career in private civil law where she represented a variety of clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases as well as a host of tort cases dealing with commercial trucking, dram shops, medical malpractice and insurance.
Another newcomer is Nahrin Jabro, who arrived earlier this month to head up the Specialty Courts at PCAO, which includes Comprehensive Misdemeanor Problem Solving (Compass) Court and Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program. Compass Court works with those whose mental health or substance abuse issues lead to frequent contact with law enforcement, while not presenting a threat to the community. Similarly, DTAP seeks alternatives to incarceration for non-violent people with substance abuse disorder.
Additionally, we have had a pair of internal reassignments to share. Veteran prosecutor Bruce Chalk brings nearly 30 years of experience at PCAO into the role of Chief Criminal Deputy County Attorney, replacing Dan South, who is leaving to open a private practice. Bruce supervised numerous units in the Criminal Division after serving in the Navy and working in law enforcement at several National Parks. Also, prosecutor Joseph Ricks steps into the role of leading the Domestic Violence Unit previously led by Noelle Jensen, who remains a vital member of our criminal prosecution team.
County Attorney Laura Conover appeared before the City of Tucson Mayor and Council on June 7 to support a resolution to revise the Tucson Police Department’s general orders in preparation for the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and forming a partnership to explore every possible solution to protect the health and safety of all residents of Pima County.
Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, officially became a federal holiday in 2021, commemorating the day when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas on June 19th, 1865 and the last enslaved people in America were finally freed. PCAO employees had a blast volunteering at the Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 18 at Kennedy Park. The Kennedy Park Fiesta Area was buzzing with activities like a resource fair, artisan vendors, food trucks, and a Red Cross blood drive. Attendees were treated to entertainment in the late afternoon and evening with opening ceremonies, the reading of the Juneteenth committee’s Reparations Resolution, Gospel Choirs, rap and spoken word artists, and dance teams. Your County Attorney, Laura Conover, served as one of the judges of the car show competition too! Special thanks to Fabian Pacheco, Yushuenta Key, Victoria Chavarria, and Angelica Garcia for helping us hand out 150 servings of Eegees, 30 gun locks, and plenty of stickers and teddy bears.
Laura had the privilege of addressing a conference of law enforcement officials from both Arizona and Sonora, Mexico on June 22. Laura’s appearance at the gathering of Policia Internacional Sonora-Arizona marked the first time a county attorney had joined the multinational coalition of law enforcement officials who have been working together since 1978.
Addressing the group in both English and Spanish, she shared her appreciation for an effort that has had a profound effect on investigations into homicides and other violent crimes in addition to auto theft.
Members of PCAO’s Senior Leadership Team and a host of prosecutors attended the Arizona Prosecuting Attorney’s Advisory Council (APAAC), where outstanding work by prosecutors was recognized, including our own Lacee Collins, who was named the winner of the statewide Victim Advocacy Award.
Congratulations to Lacee and the other winners and all the talented prosecutors from PCAO who were nominated!
The PCAO Community Newsletter is published and distributed monthly.
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