When a Texas prosecutor stands up and announces “ready” for the State, the community needs to know that that prosecutor is truly prepared to see justice done. There is a great need for resources to support excellence in prosecution, and the Foundation can step in to support excellence in Texas prosecution. The Foundation’s leadership believes that Texans share our vision of a safer state, and having well-trained and equipped professional champions in the courtroom can make a real difference.
The Texas District & County Attorneys Foundation provides support for such endeavors.
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Texas Prosecutors Society nominations are now open
By Rob Kepple
TDCAF Executive Director
The Texas Prosecutors Society (TPS) was established in 2011. Its purpose is to bring together those who have demonstrated enduring support for the profession of prosecution. The TPS uses the Texas Bar Foundation as a model and asks nominees to donate $2,500, or $250 over 10 years, to an endowment fund. The Society gathers each year in conjunction with the Elected Prosecutor Conference. The Society now has 276 members, and this year the endowment should surpass one million dollars.
Nominations are accepted by the Foundation Board, which also seeks nominations from the TDCAA Board. Nominees must have a minimum of five years’ service as a prosecutor or other criminal justice professional and a significant and sustained contribution to the advancement of the profession and criminal justice in Texas. If there is someone you would like to nominate, contact me at Rob.Kepple@tdcaf.org. Nominations will be open through May.
Texas Prosecutors Society scholarship program
The Texas Prosecutors Society is about connection to the profession we love. It can be harder, though, for those who have retired from prosecution but still want to be involved. Therefore, the Foundation Board has created a scholarship program for TPS members who are no longer in a Texas prosecutor office but who would like to attend a TDCAA conference. Are you a retired prosecutor who wants to come to the Annual but don’t have the registration fee? Please contact me and I might be able to help.
Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor
TDCAA is fortunate to have Kristin Burns on staff as the Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor. She is a great resource, and she is leading the way in a national trend to focus resources on family violence cases. The Foundation leadership is dedicated to supporting Kristin’s work with the resources she needs, so if you have an interest in supporting her, we’d love to talk with you more. Just give me a call.
Prosecutor Management Institute
One of the most successful programs created and sustained with Foundation support is the Prosecutor Management Institute (PMI). If you have been to the first module, Fundamentals of Management, it is a safe bet that it was one of the best TDCAA courses you have attended, and you probably want more. We are expanding our pool of trainers in an effort to expand the course’s reach to more offices, so if you are interested in bringing Fundamentals of Management to your area, let me know.
In addition to the fundamentals course, we are looking to expand the offerings to include courses on two additional topics: hiring and firing, and evaluating employees for success. We all recognize that these are hard areas of management. Our job will be to give you some tools that work for a prosecutor office. Stay tuned.
