King County Prosecutor unveils policy changes for 2023

KING DISTRICT, Wash. — King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion outlined the policy and practice changes for her new administration Tuesday during a news conference at King County Court.

Among the announcements was the creation of two new divisions — one focusing on gender-based violence and one dealing with economic crimes and wage theft.

There will also be a new Gun Violence Prevention Unit at the King County Prosecutor’s Office, which will connect individuals close to gun violence with resources in the community before they become victims of gun violence. perpetrator or perpetrator of violence.

A Serious Traffic Unit will also focus on homicides and vehicle assaults and their “devastating impact on victims and survivors.”

The division concerned with prevention and gender-based violence does not have an official name but includes a domestic violence unit, a sexual violence predatory unit, and a special assault unit dealing with sex offenders. and prosecutors dealing with hate crimes and commercial sexual exploitation.

“Cases involving rape, sexual assault and domestic violence often share some of the same evidence problems and a centralized approach will improve the prosecution of these serious crimes,” said Manion. . “While all crime victims and survivors are involved and deserve to be heard, the purpose of this new department is to enhance and improve our office’s response to gender-based violence. This department will deliver an informed, victim-centered response to these cases.”

The Economic Crime and Wage Theft Division will cover organized retail theft, economic crime, identity theft, fraud, elder abuse and wage theft.

Manion said: “In 2022, the Prosecutor’s Office filed more than double the number of organized theft cases compared to 2021. Many of these cases were filed in collaboration with the Attorney’s Office. City of Seattle. Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison is a strong leader and valuable partner in making Seattle a safer city, and I look forward to our continued partnership.”