Prosecutor looking to adjust process

Kennedy targeting areas where office systems falls short

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Visit James Kennedy in the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, and you’ll find the new elected official transitioning toward a different environment.

“That was the big chair in this office,” Kennedy said, indicating the tall-backed leather chair once occupied by former prosecuting attorney Michael Haas, “but it seems to aggravate my sciatica.”

More important than office furniture, Kennedy has found “a lot of processes and systems within the office” in need of some adjustments.

“We have lots of good people working here,” Kennedy said. “We just didn’t have a lot of cross-communication when I first came in. I’d like everyone to be aware of what everyone else is doing, so we can function more cohesively as a team.”

Kennedy cited the turnover in staff during the previous four years as one reason why he deemed it a lack of cohesion.

“You bring a number of people who aren’t accustomed to working specifically in a prosecutor’s office, and as the previous employees go away, the systems that had been in place are allowed to go away with them,” Kennedy said. “I’m hoping to smooth things out a bit.”

That’s not to say Kennedy’s office doesn’t have a couple of new hires of its own on the way. One deputy prosecutor position became vacant in October, and the Jefferson County Commissioners have approved the hiring of a deputy civil prosecutor to assist chief civil prosecutor Philip Hunsucker.

“Mr. Hunsucker is exceptionally busy, so this gets him some help that he’s needed for a long time,” Kennedy said. “And with the code-enforcement position the county has created, those reports are going to be fed to our office, so a deputy prosecutor to take those would be an even greater assistance to Phil, who’s already so busy.”

In spite of Hunsucker being “desperately overburdened,” Kennedy praised the chief civil prosecutor for doing “an outstanding job,” and he described the county’s felony prosecution as being “in good hands” with Anna Phillips and Julie St. Marie.

“We have numerous people here who are doing a fantastic job,” Kennedy said.

At the same time, Kennedy sees areas in the prosecutor’s office that need to be fixed.

“Our child support enforcement needs a lot of help to get back on track,” Kennedy said. “We also need to streamline discovery in criminal cases.”

Kennedy pointed out the county has a contract with the state Department of Social and Health Services for conduct child support enforcement, so it runs the risk of losing revenue as well.

And until the position is filled, Kennedy will be doing double duty by covering the county’s misdemeanor prosecutions.

“I’m ultimately hoping to take a step back and observe the office holistically, rather than just handling one leaky pipe at a time,” Kennedy said. “I think people are naturally inclined to collaborate and work together to do the best they can. They just need someone to facilitate their efforts.”

Kennedy reported he’s already been approached by a number of the office’s employees about “what works and what doesn’t,” and he eventually intends to augment their skills with further training.

“They’re coming to me quite readily,” Kennedy said. “Again, they’ve got great talent. They just need someone to help coordinate their efforts.”

City of Port Townsend Prosecutor Christopher Ashcraft was the chief criminal deputy prosecutor of in the county prosecutor’s office when Kennedy first worked there.

“He would speak his mind, but he was a good soldier,” said Ashcraft, who was Kennedy’s supervisor. “It’s why I know he’ll be a good leader, because he has an open mind and listens to the concerns of others.”

Ashcraft characterized Kennedy as a public servant committed to “doing the job right.”

“He has a lot of integrity and works really hard,” Ashcraft said. “He demonstrated his concern with avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. It wasn’t enough to do the job right if it didn’t also look like he’d done it right.”