By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-827211.mp3
Buffalo, NY – The Erie County legislature last week approved the District Attorney's plan to restructure his department, with fewer managers and more prosecutors.
Before Frank Sedita took over as the DA there were seven deputy district attorneys - including himself. That number is being reduced to one. Lawmakers happily approved Sedita's plan to either eliminate, demote or increase the duties for the department's high paid administrative staff. Sedita said the moves save about $25,000. Sedita will give back roughly $12,000 of that to the county and with the rest hire an extra prosecutor, provide training, and give raises to some of the under-paid assistant DA's. Sedita said everybody is going to carry case loads.
Sedita said these are changes he saw were needed even before he took over the DA's office. "Not that the office wasn't professional, but I'm really trying to ratchet up the professionalism of this office," said Sedita.
John DeFranks is the lone remaining deputy district attorney. Sedita said the new prosecutor he hires likely will be placed in the sex offense bureau.
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