Oklahoma District Attorneys Council
|
Great Seal of Oklahoma | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1976 |
| Headquarters |
421 NW 13 Street Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Employees | 37 unclassified |
| Annual budget | $100 million |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | District Attorneys Council |
The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council (DAC) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma that provides professional organization for the education, training and coordination of technical efforts of all Oklahoma state prosecutors and to maintain and improve prosecutor efficiency and effectiveness in enforcing the laws of the state.
The Council is composed of five members, one of which is the Attorney General of Oklahoma and the remaining four are sitting District Attorneys. The Council is responsible for appointing an Executive Coordinator to act as chief executive officer of the Council. The current Executive Coordinator is Suzanne McClain Atwood.
The Council was established in 1976 during the term of Governor of Oklahoma David L. Boren.
History
The District Attorneys Council was created by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1976
Functions
The primary function of the District Attorneys Council is to provide a professional organization for the education, training and coordination of technical efforts of all District Attorneys of the State. The DAC assists local DAs by providing financial, personnel, and other administrative services upon request. The Council is the administrative agency for the Crime Victims Compensation Board and the state administrative agency for several federal grants.
It is important to note that the DAC does not have control over individual District Attorneys. Its functions are advisory and administrative support only. The DAC does not have the power to investigate, stop, or otherwise prevent a District Attorney from prosecuting an individual or group.
Leadership
The District Attorneys Council is under the supervision of the Secretary of Safety and Security. Under current Governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin, Michael C. Thompson is serving as the Secretary.
Council members
The Council is composed of five members. The members are the Attorney General of Oklahoma, the President of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association, the President-elect of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association, one District Attorney selected by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals for a three year term, and one District Attorney selected by the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association for a three year term. A member of the Council must vacate their position on the Council upon termination of the member’s official position as Attorney General or District Attorney.
As of 2012, the following are the members of the Council:
- Chair Emily Redman - District Attorney, District 19
- Vice Chair Greg Mashburn - District Attorney, District 21
- Scott Pruitt - Attorney General of Oklahoma
- Dennis Smith - District Attorney, District 2
- Tim Harris - District Attorney, District 14
Divisions
- District Attorneys Council
- Executive Coordinator
- Assistant Coordinator
- Executive Division - serves as direct staff of the Executive Coordinator and to the Council
- Information Technology Division - provides information to improve information technology services through efficient and effective execution of technological research, acquisition, and testing to local District Attorneys, liaison to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
- Finance Division - provides budgeting, purchasing, and payroll service to the Council
- Child Support Enforcement Division - serves as state administering agency for Oklahoma's Child Support Enforcement Program and supports local District Attorneys in prosecuting child support violations, liaison to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services
- Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program Division - coordinates the work of local Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutors and supports local District Attorneys in prosecuting traffic safety violations (particularly vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, and vehicle cause injuries), liaison to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office
- Federal Grants and Programs Division - serves as state administering agency for all federal grants and programs applied for by the Council
- Victims Services Division - serves as state administering agency for Oklahoma's Crime Victims Compensation Fund as well as staff to the Crime Victims Compensation Board
- Assistant Coordinator
- Executive Coordinator
