By Pat Jenkins
The Dispatch
Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist took his message of public safety and zero-tolerance for crime to Eatonville this month for the second time this year.
Lindquist spoke at a Town Council meeting Oct. 9 on how “keeping our community safe is not our only duty in the prosecutor’s office. But it is our main duty.”
Covering the same topics he addressed at a town hall-style meeting in May at Eatonville High School that was sponsored by the Eatonville Lions Club, Lindquist updated council members, other town officials and citizens on efforts by his staff to crack down on particular types of crime.
He said the High-Priority Offender (HPO) program "focuses resources on the small percentage of criminals who cause a large percentage of crimes." Launched here in 2015 and modeled after a successful program in New York City, HPO has netted convictions of more than 500 defendants who are serving long sentences in prison, according to Lindquist.
“When we remove career criminals from our streets, we prevent hundreds of future crimes,” he said.
The prosecutor also spoke about the Elder Abuse Unit that was started in 2011 to crack down on cases of elder abuse.
"Our population is aging," Lindquist said. "And protecting the vulnerable is one of our top priorities.”
Backed by $370,985 in federal funding from the Department of Justice, the unit is part of what Lindquist described as a community response team of experts to reduce reduce elder abuse in Pierce County.
“We're a leader in the prosecution and prevention of elder abuse,” Lindquist said.
On a separate subject, Lindquist vowed to continue monitoring the state's Department of Corrections and Department of Social and Health Services to ensure that Pierce County isn’t a “dumping ground” for offenders from other counties.
Lindquist has been touring the county for appearances at meetings of city councils, service clubs and other community groups in what he calls an ongoing effort to raise awareness on public safety issues.
He started his prosecutorial career in 1995 as a deputy prosecutor handling District Court cases for the Eatonville area. He became the top prosecutor in 2009 when he was appointed by the County Council to replace Gerry Horne, who retired. Lindquist was elected the next year to serve the rest of Horne’s unexpired term, and he was re-elected in 2014 to a new four-year term. He's up for election again next year.
At the Eatonville council meeting, Lindquist praised the work of the town's Police Department and chief Brian Witt in partnership with prosecutors.
"You have a good chief here, and we really appreciate the collaboration with your people. We can't accomplish our mission without that kind of help," Lindquist said.
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