Jenna Wallace takes over DA’s office early

Jenna Wallace was appointed Lincoln County District Attorney at noon Friday, June 21

“I am excited about this opportunity and proud of the trust Lincoln County voters placed in me during the election,” Wallace said.

The new district attorney won the May primary and was set to take office Jan. 1. However, former District Attorney Lanee Danforth unexpectedly resigned, so Wallace is taking the big chair about six months early. She was already serving as the office’s chief deputy district attorney, with responsibility for prosecuting cases and supervising other prosecutors.

Adding to the challenges that come with a new role, several deputy district attorneys in the office also announced their resignations prior to election results, citing pay and benefits as the primary reasons for leaving. This left Wallace with only one prosecutor in the office.

“My passion is for prosecution. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve my community in this way, and I also recognize the work that needs to be done to recruit and retain deputy district attorneys,” she said. “I’ve had positive conversations with county commissioners and human resources, and I believe they understand the pay issues our county is facing in relation to recruiting and retaining deputy DAs long-term. I recognize that I can’t fix these issues without the commissioners. Public safety is at the forefront of everyone’s concerns, and I have no doubt that our commissioners share my goal of recruiting and retaining qualified individuals to swiftly prosecute crime here in Lincoln County.”

Wallace said they are currently keeping up with their caseload, while she has maintained and taken on more cases than the DA typically would. She’s got temporary help from the Oregon Department of Justice in the form of Tobias Tingleaf, a senior assistant attorney general and former county prosecutor. Tingleaf is assisting not just with day-to-day operations, but with the first steps in the process of rebuilding the office, Wallace said. The state justice department also sent a certified law student who is allowed to perform many of the functions of a deputy district attorney, with the exception of things like signing charging documents.

She added that a new deputy was set to join the office in August, and there are additional candidates in the application process.

The new chief prosecutor also acknowledged there has been a rift between her office and the board of commissioners, saying she is looking forward to rebuilding those relationships to work more collaboratively in the public interest.

“My number one goal is community safety. However, part of accomplishing that goal requires rebuilding relationships with county officials,” said Wallace, who as district attorney is technically an officer of the state of Oregon. “One thing I’ve learned is that we all have to work collaboratively to staff and support the DA’s office. I am at the table, and I’m getting a positive response from the county. If we work together, we can accomplish anything.”

Commissioner Kaety Jacobson has met with Wallace and also said discussions were promising.

“I had a positive first meeting with District Attorney Wallace and appreciate her desire to build strong relationships with the board of commissioners and county leadership,” Jacobson said. “She is passionate about this community and the work she does, and I am hopeful her leadership will bring stability.”

As the district attorney, Wallace said she recognizes the immense power delegated to that office by the Oregon Constitution to not only protect the innocent, but to prosecute the guilty.

“I am committed to continuing my work here in Lincoln County to promote community safety, hold offenders accountable and to seek justice in every case,” Wallace said. “Justice requires a thoughtful review and a decisive approach to each and every set of facts. Justice may come in the form of a dismissal, a diversion, participation in treatment court, probation or a prison sentence. I will continue to seek fair and equitable resolutions in each and every case.

“I understand that the purpose of the district attorney’s office is to seek the truth, not just a conviction, and this will remain my guiding principle as your elected district attorney,” added Wallace.