BEDFORD — District Attorney Lesley Childers-Potts is the only prosecutor in Bedford County after the resignation of two assistant DAs at the beginning of September — revealing staffing issues that extend across the area.

First Assistant DA Jonathan Thomas submitted his resignation on Aug. 11, although a reason was not stated. His last day of employment was Sept. 2, Bedford County commissioners meeting minutes show.

Second Assistant DA Edward V. Reeves submitted his resignation Aug. 15, citing health issues. His final day of employment was not clear.

“Retaining assistant district attorneys has been difficult, but that’s not unusual, nor is it unique to Bedford County,” Childers-Potts wrote in an email. “Until recently, those positions in Bedford County have been somewhat on the lower side when comparing them to starting salaries across the state.”

A member of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute — an arm of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association — Childers-Potts said that she learned at board meetings that counties across the country are “having difficulty hiring and retaining prosecutors.”

“Most district attorneys are faced with the fact that an ADA position is often a stepping stone for a young attorney on their way to a higher paying position,” Childers-Potts said. “We do everything we can to hire skilled attorneys who are committed to serving the community where they work and live.”

Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks said that his office is no exception to the current staffing crisis. He cited lack of competitive pay, a heavy workload and long hours as key factors in the shortage, as well as the positions being under prioritized by the salary board.

“Prosecution is a demanding career, requiring an expensive education after earning both an undergraduate degree and a law degree as well as extensive practical training in a courtroom,” Weeks said. “The financial investment required to obtain this education usually doesn’t allow someone to accept a job whose salary won’t come close to covering loan payments and living expenses.”

He also said that there is an emotional toll on prosecutors from challenging and confronting “the most devastating and sometimes evil behavior a human is capable of,” such as murder, rape or child pornography.

“When combined with very little pay and long hours and little appreciation from the salary-setters, it’s no wonder that most lawyers and now even law school graduates choose more lucrative paths in private defense or civil work rather than serving and protecting the community through prosecution,” Weeks said.

Office Manager and Special Assistant to the Cambria County DA Amber Williams echoed these sentiments, saying that their office currently has one opening for a full-time prosecutor as well as vacancies for several support staff personnel.

While filling those positions has been challenging, Williams said they have been able to maintain the same level of service to the community “by prioritizing duties and sharing extra workload.”

“All of the staff in our office is to be commended for rising to the occasion,” she said.

Childers-Potts discussed the staffing issue with the Bedford County commissioners, who she said recognized the problem and assisted her by modifying the budget for the DA’s office during the 2022 budget process.

The salary for the first assistant district attorney was increased to $70,000, Childers-Potts said, while the second assistant district attorney salary is budgeted for between $40,000 and $45,000.

The DA’s office total budget for 2022 is $494,090, the final budget documents show, and includes everything from salaries to postage.

Commissioners receive budget requests from department heads when it’s time to prepare the following year’s budget, Commissioner Debra Baughman said.

“Obviously we work with them to try to meet their needs so they can run their department as it needs to be run,” she said.

The DA’s office is one that decides what kind of staffing it needs, Baughman said, and makes those recommendations to the commissioners.

“We want to make sure they have the tools and staff needed to do their job and, based on what they’re requesting, we do our best to meet their requests,” Baughman said.

Since Thomas and Reeves’ resignations, Childers-Potts has been conducting interviews, but her staffing situation remains much the same, she said.

“I am unwilling to allow my staffing difficulties to impact cases being handled appropriately and professionally,” Childers-Potts said. “As a result, I have requested the assistance of the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General in the prosecution of a portion of my caseload.”

About 20% of her adult criminal caseload was sent to the AG, she said, adding that “no juvenile case, summary appeals or miscellaneous docket cases” were referred.

The AG Office requested that “larger, more labor intensive cases” be referred to them, Childers-Potts said.

“There are many skilled and experienced prosecutors in the AG’s Office and a larger support staff,” she said. “I am grateful to those attorneys and their staff for stepping in to help ensure the criminal justice system in Bedford County continues to be about quality, not quantity.”

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.