To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Amy Padden, District Attorney, 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
Prepared By:
prepared
Jason Siers, Chief Deputy District Attorney, 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
end
presenter
Presenter: Amy Padden, District Attorney, 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
end
Subject:
title
1:00 PM *Grant Opportunity - US DOJ Special Attorneys Program, Department of Justice
end
Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this meeting is to request the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approve the electronic submission of a grant application to the US DOJ Special Attorneys Program, through June 2029, with no local match requirement, to fund Deputy District Attorney positions to be assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado to investigate and prosecute crimes involving drug or human trafficking committed within the United States.
end
Alignment with Strategic Plan: Safe and Healthy Communities - Advance public safety by strengthening partnerships across law enforcement, emergency response, and community stakeholders.
Background and Discussion: The grant ”[s]upports prosecuting agencies in assigning or hiring qualified prosecutors to serve full time as Special Attorneys within the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division or as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) within a United States Attorney’s Office. These cross-designated prosecutors will investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States and will investigate and prosecute crimes involving drug or human trafficking committed within the United States.” The District Attorney’s Office will only apply for funding for three Deputies to be assigned as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys as follows: Two to prosecute drug crimes and one to prosecute human trafficking. If the grant is not approved for those positions, but instead is offered “to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens,” the District Attorney’s Office will either decline the grant in part (if permitted) or in whole or engage in additional discussions with the BOCC and the County Attorney before accepting the grant to ensure that acceptance would be in accordance with state law and in alignment with the County’s strategic plan.
The anticipated budget is $600,000 per year, which is primarily personnel-driven and is expected to support approximately three full-time Deputy District Attorney positions over the life of the grant, plus hiring, retention, training, and equipment and technology, on which up to 20% of the total grant money may be spent.
The deadline to apply for this grant is May 20, 2026.
Alternatives: N/A
Fiscal Impact: If approved as presented, there will be no fiscal impact to Arapahoe County. This grant application would include funding for three, temporary, grant-funded full-time positions, including the additional costs listed above.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends moving forward with the grant application as presented.
Concurrence: N/A