State Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Camp Hill, speaks during a committee meeting earlier this legislative session in Harrisburg.

A state lawmaker thinks it’s time for the state Attorney General’s office to use some of its prosecutorial power on local cases.

Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Camp Hill, is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation that would create a unit of prosecutors within the state Attorney General’s office to supplement county district attorneys. The unit would be available, upon request of a local district attorney and agreement of the state Attorney General, for temporary assignment to work under the direction of local district attorneys.

“Each county elects its own district attorney who is responsible for prosecuting nearly all crimes occurring within the county’s borders. Because the size and population of our counties vary dramatically across this Commonwealth, some county district attorney offices only need to be sparely staffed to serve the normal needs of their communities. No one can predict with certainty when a sudden and profound need for extra prosecutors may arise.,” Delozier said in her co-sponsorship memorandum.

The state of Alaska has a unit similar to the one Delozier is proposing. In 2019, the Alaska Department of Law was awarded $1.4 million over a three-year period to fund the hiring of two prosecutors and one support staff primarily dedicated to prosecuting cases involving crimes against persons that occur in our rural Alaskan communities. Since 2021, the rural prosecution team has covered more than 1,000 cases, including homicides, sexual assault and sexual abuse cases, and assisted with training other prosecutors and local law enforcement.

Delozier said most counties have enough prosecutors to handle the number of cases that are filed each year, but she wants the state to be able to step in at the request of local prosecutors if a complicated case arises that stretches a local prosecutor’s staff to the point that other cases fall by the wayside.

“No one can predict with certainty when a sudden and profound need for extra prosecutors may arise,” Delozier said. “Although such a need may be rare, it can severely affect a county’s justice system when it happens. Indeed, smaller district attorney offices may lack the necessary manpower and resources to prosecute complex or high-profile cases effectively. Moreover, certain types of crimes, like human trafficking, corrupt organizations, and cyber offenses, require specialized knowledge and investigative capabilities. A state-level prosecutorial unit can provide the expertise needed to successfully prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes.”