An understaffed District Attorney’s office in Juneau means Petersburg police officers spend more time in their office and less on the street. That’s according to Petersburg Police Chief Jim Agner, who has been outspoken about his frustration with the situation. The Juneau office has three prosecutors who are responsible for cases in Juneau as well as Petersburg, Haines, Yakutat and many smaller communities stretched across Northern Southeast. Agner and other city officials in Petersburg have repeatedly complained to lawmakers and the Governor about a 40 percent dismissal rate and what they say is a lack of service and communication from D.A.’s office. Matt Lichtenstein asked Agner about the broader impact on his departments work in Petersburg:
District Attorney David Brower has defended his office’s work in an interview for a previous story. He emphasized they are trying to serve communities the best they can with a small staff and an extensive area to cover. Brower declined an opportunity to comment again on the matter late last week.
