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Hillsborough State Attorney to Hold Community Workshops

Andrew Warren | HIllsborough State Attorney | Courts

The workshops will provide interaction between the State Attorney’s Office and the community, his office says.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – State Attorney Andrew Warren announced Monday (Feb. 13) that he will hold quarterly community workshops for improved communication and transparency.

Warren’s announcement came at the conclusion of, what he called, a successful 60-day listening tour launched in December during his active transition into office. Warren, along with prosecutors and executive members from his office, held a series of meetings with community leaders, law enforcement agencies, criminal court judges, criminal defense attorneys, partner agencies, and the Public Defender’s Office to hear their thoughts and concerns about various criminal justice issues and ways to improve the local criminal justice system. The meetings were well-attended and educational, he said. They generated constructive discussion of issues ranging from charging decisions and plea negotiations to diversion programs and operational inefficiencies.

“This Listening Tour was a great success because of the participants’ active engagement and thoughtful dialogue,” Warren said. “I want to thank all of the community members, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and agency representatives who answered our call to actively participate in this conversation with us. We are listening to the voice of the community that we serve, and our criminal justice system will be better because of it. I also thank those who helped us arrange and facilitate the meetings, and everyone who participated with candor and open minds. We received a lot of great ideas and suggestions that we will consider and evaluate.”

During each meeting, the office challenged the participants to remain involved and keep the dialogue ongoing. The administration will continue its focus on community engagement and will launch the first of its quarterly community workshops in March.

“We received tremendous feedback from the listening tour and know that the community was hungry for greater interaction and transparency from the office,” Rena Frazier, the office’s Chief of Policy and Communication and community outreach liaison, said. “We are excited to start our interactive quarterly community workshops to keep the dialogue ongoing. More information is to come.”

Warren was sworn-in as the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, serving Hillsborough County, on Jan. 3.

For information about the Hillsborough state attorney, go to sao13th.com.

Hillsborough State Attorney | Andrew Warren | Courts | TB Reporter

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