Public Safety
Public Safety
District Attorney Jenna Wallace held a town hall to explain the role of the DA’s office, rising crime levels in Lincoln County, and the serious operational impacts of an ongoing county hiring freeze. She outlined the full criminal justice process, noting that Lincoln County prosecutes all crimes locally, unlike larger counties with municipal courts, resulting in filing volumes comparable to much larger jurisdictions—driven in part by heavy tourism. Wallace reported significant staffing shortages, growing case backlogs, reduced victim services, and situations where cases are delayed, resolved more leniently, or not filed at all due to lack of capacity.
She emphasized she is not requesting additional funding, only permission to fill already budgeted public safety positions. Commissioner Casey Miller supported her concerns, criticizing nontransparent administrative decision-making and limited access to commission agendas. Audience discussion focused on accountability, ethics, jail overcrowding, public records delays, and civic engagement. Wallace urged residents to participate through public comment and community advocacy to restore transparency, staffing, and effective public safety.
Across five Board of Commissioners meetings in 2025, District Attorney Jenna Wallace consistently describes a pattern of obstruction, lack of transparency, and actions she says are undermining public safety and the independence of her office. In March, Wallace delivers a forceful statement alleging months of retaliation and interference by county leadership, including unauthorized actions taken in her name, monitoring of her communications, and a secret budget reduction, while asserting that ethical concerns she raises are ignored.
In October and November, she repeatedly returns to the Board to request narrowly tailored exceptions to the countywide hiring freeze so she can fill already approved, budgeted public safety positions, warning that severe staffing shortages, rising crime, and growing case backlogs are crippling prosecutions and victim services. She emphasizes that her office did not cause the county’s budget deficit, has historically underspent, and seeks a reasonable compromise that balances fiscal responsibility with community safety.
Between those testimonies, Wallace is denied the opportunity to speak during public comment after a staff-imposed rule change adopted without public notice, raising further questions about transparency, governance, and the consistent treatment of an independently elected official.
During the public comment period of the October 15, 2025 Board of Commissioners meeting, District Attorney Jenna Wallace and others were denied the opportunity to speak after Commissioner Walter Chuck said they had signed up too late, citing a requirement to register before the meeting. The rule change—implemented by staff without public notice, Board action, or public input—prompted confusion and objections from commissioners and the public. An online commenter challenged the Board’s authority to limit comment in this way and stated they personally witnessed Wallace submit her request before adjournment. The meeting was then adjourned, leaving unresolved questions about transparency and the consistent application of public comment rules.
The complete video of the 10/15/25 BOC meeting is available at 00:47:40.
Jenna Wallace, Lincoln County’s District Attorney, testified in support of granting exceptions to the countywide hiring freeze for five critical public safety positions in her office. She noted that while new hires were recognized in other departments, the DA’s office currently has ten vacant positions, nine of which are frozen. Over the past six months, she has repeatedly requested exceptions for positions she described as essential to public safety, but those requests were denied without discussion or a public hearing.
Wallace explained that the DA’s office is overwhelmed by rising crime and staffing shortages. Lincoln County has experienced a 24% increase in crime this year and is projected to file more than 1,850 criminal cases, in addition to a backlog of over 360 cases awaiting review. She warned that continued restrictions on hiring will severely impair prosecution, victim services, and community safety.
She emphasized that she was not seeking new funding, but authority to hire into already approved and budgeted positions. Wallace argued that exceptions have already been granted to other public safety agencies and should apply equally to the DA’s office, which has historically underspent and returned funds to the general fund. She characterized her request as a reasonable compromise that balances fiscal responsibility with public safety and asked the Board to vote immediately on an Order unfreezing the five positions.
The complete video of the 10/1/25 BOC meeting is available at 00:38:29.
DA Jenna Wallace requests an independent external investigation into alleged misconduct by County Counsel Kristin Yuille and HR Director David Collier. Wallace describes months of interference with her office, including monitoring her communications, budget reductions without notice, documents signed on her behalf, and retaliation against her and her staff after she raised ethical concerns. She asserts that County Counsel and Human Resources have been weaponized to silence dissent and that whistleblower protections have not been honored in practice. Wallace criticizes the Board of Commissioners—particularly Chair Claire Hall—for refusing to convene executive sessions or authorize an outside investigation, and for allowing Yuille and Collier to initiate internal investigations into DA staff. She urges the public to demand transparency, accountability, and an unbiased inquiry to restore trust in county governance.
The official 4/16/25 BOC meeting does not include Wallace's testimony as they had gaveled the meeting after Debbie Simmons Howard tried to testify about recent decisions by a single commissioner which she alleged were CBA violations.
DA Wallace issued a Press Release on April 16, 2025 which mirrors her testimony. It is available here.
DA Jenna Wallace delivers a forceful public statement outlining nine months of what she describes as obstruction, retaliation, and undermining by Lincoln County leadership. She says she continues to “pay for the sins” of her predecessor and is being denied basic autonomy in managing her office, citing unauthorized signatures on her behalf, HR and County Counsel monitoring her emails, and a secret $34,000 budget deduction. Wallace accuses County Counsel Kristin Yule and HR Director David Collier of blocking, controlling, and threatening her, and states that when she raises ethical concerns, she is ignored and warned she would be investigated if she persists.
She emphasizes that Commissioner Casey Miller is the only official who has consistently sought transparency and attempts to bring these issues to executive session, only to be dismissed and later vilified. Wallace also shares personal history to explain her commitment to protecting vulnerable victims, arguing that interference with her office harms the community. She urges commissioners to investigate the conduct she has reported, warns of likely retaliation, and vows to continue serving despite the pressure.
The complete video of the 3/19/25 BOC meeting is available at 01:01:49.
DA Wallace issued a Press Release on April 16, 2025 which goes into further detail. It is available here.
At the November 5, 2025 Board of Commissioners meeting, District Attorney Jenna Wallace appears before the Board to again request limited exceptions to the countywide hiring freeze for four critical public safety positions in the District Attorney’s Office. She opens by welcoming newly hired county employees in other departments, then describes a worsening staffing crisis in her office. Wallace states that the DA’s Office now has 11 unoccupied positions, with nine frozen, explaining that another employee has recently been placed on administrative leave over her objection.
She explains that for more than six months, her repeated requests for hiring freeze exceptions have been denied or ignored without public discussion or a hearing. Wallace emphasizes that she is not seeking new positions or additional funding, but permission to hire into positions already approved and funded through the 2025–2026 budget adopted by the Board. She stresses that the DA’s Office did not create the county’s $4 million deficit and has consistently underspent, returning hundreds of thousands of dollars to the general fund over the years.
Wallace frames her request as a reasonable compromise that preserves public safety while leaving other positions frozen to address budget concerns. She warns that continued inaction directly undermines prosecutions, victim services, and community safety, and asks the Board to immediately unfreeze the four positions and allow hiring to begin.
The complete video of the 11/5/25 BOC meeting is available at 01:23:16.
Last updated 1/4/25 9:17 pm