New Roles in the State's Attorney's Office Aim to Improve Case Management and Administrative Operations
During the St. Mary’s County Commissioners meeting on October 1, 2024, Jamie Sterling, the State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County, presented a proposal for a reorganization of the State’s Attorney’s Office. The reorganization was aimed at improving the office’s efficiency and effectiveness in handling its workload, particularly in terms of prosecuting cases and managing administrative functions.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Sterling began by acknowledging that, since her election as State’s Attorney in January 2023, the office has undergone significant changes. In response to the Commissioners’ guidance, Sterling and her team have been evaluating the office’s needs and making incremental adjustments. Over the past 20 months, the office has secured over $1.5 million in grants, which funded more than eight new positions. However, despite the additional grant-funded resources, Sterling emphasized that the office still faces challenges, especially with the growing demands on its staff.
The primary need, Sterling noted, is for more attorneys to manage the increasing case volume, which includes complex cases involving digital evidence like body-worn cameras. While the State’s Attorney’s Office doesn’t currently have a dedicated body-worn camera unit, which is common in other counties, they’ve been managing this responsibility within their evidence review unit. Sterling stated that, due to resource constraints, her office has had to take on additional duties that are traditionally handled by law enforcement, such as managing court liaison tasks to keep officers on patrol.
Sterling outlined the specifics of the proposed reorganization, which involved eliminating four positions and creating three new ones:
- Eliminated Positions: The office proposed eliminating two Senior Legal Assistant positions, one Evidence Analyst position, and one additional support role.
- New Positions Created:
1. Assistant State’s Attorney: This new role would directly address the office’s need for more prosecutorial staff. The new attorney would handle cases in court, providing critical support in managing the office’s case load.
2. Deputy Chief of Staff: This position would provide administrative support to Sterling, allowing her to focus on prosecutorial work and strategic oversight. The Deputy Chief of Staff would handle the day-to-day administrative operations, including human resources, finance, IT, and interactions with building services. Sterling noted that this position is essential for managing the growing office and its increasing administrative demands.
3. Investigator: This role would assist the office in managing evidence and coordinating with law enforcement. The investigator would take on duties typically managed by law enforcement agencies, such as reviewing evidence and helping to build cases for prosecution.
Sterling also responded to questions from the Commissioners about the specific duties of the investigator. She explained that the investigator would help alleviate some of the burden on law enforcement by managing tasks such as reviewing body-worn camera footage, dashcam footage, and other digital evidence. While the county currently lacks a dedicated body-worn camera unit, this investigator would help fill that gap within the State’s Attorney’s Office.
One of the key aspects of the proposal was its cost-effectiveness. Sterling stressed that the reorganization would be **cost-neutral**, with only a minimal increase of approximately $860 to the county’s budget. This small cost was largely due to differences in salary levels between the eliminated and newly created positions. Sterling pointed out that the increase would be covered by salary savings from vacant positions in the current fiscal year. She reassured the Commissioners that this approach was fiscally responsible, especially given the constraints the office has been working under.
The Commissioners asked several questions, particularly focusing on the need for the Deputy Chief of Staff position. Commissioner Mike Hewitt raised concerns about whether a Deputy Chief of Staff was necessary, considering the office’s primary focus on prosecuting cases. He questioned if it might be more beneficial to allocate resources towards hiring additional attorneys or paralegals instead. Sterling responded by emphasizing the administrative burden that comes with managing an office of nearly 50 employees. She explained that by offloading some of the administrative tasks to a Deputy Chief of Staff, her office would be better equipped to handle the growing caseload, and she would be able to focus more on legal and strategic oversight.
Sterling also reiterated that the reorganization was intended to strike a balance between administrative support and prosecutorial work. The proposed Assistant State’s Attorney and investigator roles would directly contribute to case management, while the Deputy Chief of Staff would ensure that the administrative functions of the office were handled efficiently.
The Commissioners ultimately approved the reorganization, acknowledging that the State’s Attorney’s Office has been resourceful in securing grants to fund many of their positions. Sterling was commended for her efforts to run the office efficiently while continuing to pursue grants and other funding opportunities. The approved reorganization was seen as a step towards enhancing both the administrative and prosecutorial capacities of the office, with a minimal budgetary impact.
