New St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore joined Tom Ackerman and Megan Lynch on Total Information AM to talk priorities for his first weeks in office. "Immediately my focus has been getting a senior staff in place."
His first hire, Marvin Teer, Jr. Teer is returning to the Circuit Attorney's Office, where he was Chief Trial Attorney. He resigned from Kim Gardner's office in March. Teer is also a former St. Louis judge, Assistant State Attorney General and special prosecutor. Gore and Teer served together on the Ferguson Commission. Gore tells KMOX, he anticipates having a couple more announcement regarding his senior team soon. Once that leadership is in place, he says the work can begin to build up support staff.
KMOX asked Gore, what changes the community could expect to notice first, "In terms of immediate changes, we're going to start making sure we're where we're supposed to be when we're supposed to be there," says Gore. "Really just trying to set as our standard for everything we do, the pursuit of excellence just really executing every day, and fulfilling our role in the criminal criminal justice system."
The warrant office is another priority. Under Kim Gardner that office had been moved online. Gore tells KMOX, that office is now open for in-person presentation of cases, "I know that Chief Tracy has said that he's very pleased with that and that's something that's going to really make his job a lot easier." He adds there will also be resources added to that office. With the resignation of the Chief Warrant Officer last week, filling that spot will be a priority.
When it comes to the relationship with city police, Gore stresses he'll be listening to start. "We need to rebuild relationships with police, neighboring prosecutors, clergy, the community," explains Gore. "With Chief Tracy, the first thing I'm going to do is I'm going to sit down with him and I'm gonna say you've been on the job five months now, I've got one week under my belt. Why don't you tell me based on your five months where you think our office can work with you more effectively and give me a few months and I'm gonna come back to you and probably tell you some ways that, that your office can work more effectively with us."
Victims had complained too many offenders were sent to diversion programs under Gardner's leadership. Gore says he'll be making a full assessment of that program, working more with the courts. "I will say that I don't view diversion as appropriate in any case involving violent crime. We will not be using diversion in those cases."