Week 37, September 17th, 2021

#JusticeinPimaCounty
#FromLaura

The week began solemnly with all of us in the Office reflecting back 20 years ago. Many of our staff commemorate 9/11 by joining in the annual Tower Challenge at Tucson Convention Center, including our own Detective Shaun Pfund (pictured), who supports the event every year and even does it twice – once in honor of those who were lost, and once again in honor of all of us who remain to cope with the tragedy. Participation this year, as Det. Pfund reports, was at capacity to honor the nearly 3,000 civilians who died on 9/11, as well as the fallen members of the Law Enforcement Community, Fire Department, Emergency Services, and Military, who sacrificed their lives that day in service to others. Det. Pfund has personally raised $3,000 the last couple years from friends and co-workers in support of the 9/11 Tower Challenge Foundation. We salute his and his colleagues’ efforts.

Kudos are also due to our new stellar group of rookie attorneys and staff in the Misdemeanors Unit and in the Community Protection Bureau, who continue to shine. The first two years or so of a Deputy County Attorney’s career are a steep learning curve, especially in the bizarre environment of a pandemic. Justice Court is a fascinating, Wild West courthouse in which to learn the practice of law, and Rachael Fornof has poured her blood, sweat, and tears into making sure new attorneys and staff have what they need to handle the volume and fast pace of misdemeanors. I also want to thank Kevin Krejci, who after 28 years with our Office is approaching retirement and using half his time to shadow, mentor, and assist the misdemeanor attorneys in court. Having his wisdom, his experience, and his gravitas has been a welcome addition to the Unit.

At least today, it seems as if the weather is… cooling? And so, our weekend community activities are beginning to pick up. We appreciate every invitation to go out with our table and tent and promote 88-Crime, distribute gun locks, and offer our help with marijuana conviction expungements. And, sometimes, we even hand out Eegees. That always goes over well. See you out there!

#ToBeContinued,
Laura