Money will fund five new positions
Rep. Pat Ryan joined with the Dutchess County executive, district attorney and sheriff on Wednesday (Oct. 16) in Poughkeepsie to announce just over $3 million in federal funding that will allow the D.A. to create five new positions.
According to the county, $1 million of the grant will support a collaboration between the D.A. and the Department of Justice’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program. The district attorney’s office will create two positions — a hate crimes analyst and an assistant district attorney — to address bias-related crimes, including those committed online.
Another $500,000 will expand investigations and prosecutions of cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and/or stalking.
Finally, $1.5 million will bolster the DNA testing of evidence, including post-conviction, by expanding the county’s Conviction Integrity Unit with the new positions of unit chief, assistant district attorney and full-time investigator.
