BEND, OR -- Stephen Gunnels won’t officially take over as Deschutes County District Attorney until January, but he’s already setting future goals for the office. He tells KBND News he wants to expand the Veterans Intervention Strategy. VIS started in Deschutes County in 2020 to help vets in the justice system. "Many of them are in a bad place emotionally or in terms of drug dependency or alcohol dependency," says Gunnels, "And we try to get them set right; try to get them connected with programs through the Veterans Administration and other programs so they get treatment, mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment."

Gunnels is talking with the Circuit Court to see if there is capacity for vets in the program to meet more often with a judge, "I believe that program could be stronger if the court system was more a part of that program. Meaning, the veterans would have to come back to court periodically, and check in with a judge. I know that that level of accountability, of checking in with a judge kind of does miracles for people; it keeps them on track. I know people in the military have a strong commitment to chain of command." He says that means some will answer to a judge in a way they won’t to a treatment provider. But, Gunnels acknowledges, finding capacity for that expansion within the circuit court system is tough, there is currently a backlog of about a thousand cases, due to the pandemic.

He also tells KBND News the pandemic restricted training and he’d like to restart those opportunities for prosecutors, "And get them out into the police agencies to train law enforcement on the new laws on the books, new case law that’s coming out of the courts, so that the police can change how they conduct investigations in accordance with the law. I know, working with the police for a number of years, that they really want to get it right. And, having us there to support them and teach them, would be a big help."

To hear our full conversation with Stephen Gunnels, visit our Podcast Page.