Mission Statement
The Rockland County District Attorney's Office has the responsibility and authority to both investigate and prosecute crimes and offenses in Rockland County and undertake all efforts necessary to proactively prevent the commission of crimes. It is the mission of this Office to protect the people of Rockland County through the vigorous prosecution of crime and aggressive crime prevention measures. In all cases, the primary objective of the Office is the administration of justice.
A District Attorney is empowered to prosecute cases on behalf of the government and its people. With that comes the expectation of fairness and humility. The District Attorney, by example, sets the bar for all law enforcement and their conduct must be nothing short of exemplary.
The District Attorney has absolute discretion to determine the scope, manner, and method of prosecution. Assistant District Attorneys are appointed pursuant to the County Law and serve at the pleasure of the District Attorney. Assistant District Attorneys exercise their own prosecutorial discretion within policy guidelines established by the District Attorney.
The District Attorney of Rockland County is an independently elected public official whose powers and duties are set forth in Rockland County Law. Prosecutorial authority is delegated, by law, to a staff of Assistant District Attorneys. By law, the 62 elected District Attorneys in New York State are accountable to the electorate, not any other governmental body.
Prevention and Intervention
While the vigorous and professional prosecution of those who violate the law is a district attorney's primary function, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office has proactively collaborated with law enforcement, educators and social service providers to develop a series of innovative crime prevention and intervention measures. In this section, you will find specific initiatives aimed at ensuring safer schools and communities for everyone.
Drug Court
In 2008, the Rockland County Drug Court celebrated its tenth anniversary. The Drug Court, first launched in Clarkstown, is a treatment court program for defendants with drug and alcohol problems charged with nonviolent misdemeanor and felony crimes. Defendants are diverted from incarceration to chemical dependency treatment supervised by the Drug Court Team. The mission of the Rockland County Drug Court is to bring together the justice system with the chemical dependency treatment system to assist substance abusers with criminal charges, who meet program criteria, to overcome their drug problem, benefiting both themselves and the community. Learn More.
High School Intervention and Diversion Program
A cutting-edge program was created and implemented to maximize the number of at-risk students who chose to successfully complete their studies. By partnering with the North Rockland Central School District, there was a link with the adjudication of juvenile offenses to improved school performance and conduct, seeking to divert youthful offenders from the criminal justice system. Learn More.
Veteran's Alternative to Incarceration Program (VATI)
Many veterans returning from active duty in Iraq and/or Afghanistan turn to drugs and alcohol in an effort to self-medicate service-related issues. Others facing readjustment are left to struggle through a range of unwanted emotional responses to the trauma of combat. Often, these vets enter the criminal justice system in Rockland County. As part of the VATI program, returning service members facing nonviolent criminal charges in Rockland are identified and screened, then linked with veteran-specific substance abuse and mental health treatment programs as alternatives to incarceration. Learn More.
Youth & Police Initiative
In a continuing effort to reduce and prevent crime among Rockland County's younger population, the Youth and Police Initiative (YPI) was launched in late 2008. YPI is a training program created by the Massachusetts-based North American Family Institute to enhance police officers and prosecutors understanding of the beliefs, values, and experiences of local youth, while ensuring that youth develop a genuine regard for the challenges that police officers face on the job. Learn More.
Prosecuting Criminals
The District Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting all felony and misdemeanor crime committed in Rockland County. The following units, programs and initiatives are staffed by specially trained prosecutors dedicated to providing the highest level of service to the community.
Drug Task Force
The Drug Task Force investigates and prosecutes individuals and organizations involved in the trafficking of controlled substances and their illicit proceeds in Rockland County. The Task Force is staffed by seasoned prosecutors who work closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to combat drug distribution and related violence in each of Rockland's towns and villages. Learn More.
Special Investigations Unit
The Special Investigations Unit investigates complex cases involving misuse of public funds, white collar crime, tax fraud, real estate fraud, welfare fraud, consumer fraud and other traditional and non-traditional criminal conduct, including organized crime.
Members of the SIU also probe computer crimes and multi-jurisdictional crimes, working in cooperation with state and federal agencies to ensure that all investigative avenues are utilized to facilitate successful prosecution and justice for the citizens of Rockland County. Learn More.
Special Victims Unit
The Rockland County District Attorney's Special Victims Unit is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of all cases involving domestic violence, rape, elder abuse, child abuse, Internet crimes against children, violations of orders of protection and sex offender registration violations. The mission of the Unit is to aggressively pursue justice on behalf of our most vulnerable victims and to hold criminals accountable, while being sensitive to the unique needs and dynamics associated with these types of challenging cases. Learn More.