Three Republicans and one Democrat have filed to run for Isabella County’s open prosecutor seat, ensuring both a contested primary in August and a two-person race in the November election.
Each candidate answered by a survey questions about work history, goals and qualities that make a good prosecutor and more.
David Barberi, Republican
Age: 32
Current position: Attorney at Barberi Law
Education
Sacred Heart Academy 2004
Central Michigan University B.S. Communication 2008
Thomas Jefferson School of Law J.D. 2012
Connect
Web: www.BarberiForProsecutor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarberiForProsecutor/
Social: May 30, 2018 from 5:30-7:30 at The Tap Room at Mountain Town Brewing on Pickard Street
What qualities make a good prosecutor?
The most important quality a prosecutor needs to have is good judgment. Good judgment is required when deciding what criminal charges to bring, if any, to achieve justice in a particular situation. Good judgment is also involved in hiring decisions when it comes to staff positions, making budget requests, allocating prosecutorial resources, and deciding what type of cases to prioritize.
A prosecutor also needs to be a strong leader. A strong leader is characterized by the values they hold and the manner in which they consistently exhibit those values by the day-to-day acts they perform, or equally as important, don’t perform. It’s important to recognize that compliance does not equal commitment. I will earn my staffs’ respect, not by telling them to do things simply because “I am the boss,” but by getting them to buy into the cultural changes I seek to make in the office and getting them to commit to a shared vision.
A prosecutor must also be an effective communicator. Effective communication isn’t just knowing what to say and how to say it. Effective communication also requires listening to what others are saying, as well as what they are not, and synthesize that information. This skill is important to being a prosecutor, as a prosecutor needs to be able to effectively communicate his or her goals and have a clear plan to achieve those goals.
A prosecutor also needs to possess compassion. The county prosecutor wields tremendous power and with great power comes great responsibility. A person’s poor choice doesn’t always have to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; sometimes leniency is ultimately in the public’s best interest.
Why are you the right candidate?
I believe my leadership and people skills set me apart from the other candidates. My involvement in local organizations, service on boards and volunteering evidences my commitment to my community, its residents and our future.
Coming from the private sector I would bring positive change and new leadership to the office and I plan to use my energy to improve the culture of the prosecutor’s office as well as how its staff serves the residents of Isabella County.
What is the most pressing issue facing Isabella County?
It would be easy to say that the most pressing issue facing Isabella County is curtailing the opiate and methamphetamine crisis we are currently experiencing. While that is certainly a significant criminal justice issue, the better question is how do we go about addressing the behavior that leads to drug use and addiction in the first place? Simply prosecuting more users without offering rehabilitative services or programs designed to discourage use in the first place is not the way to lead in this area.
That being said, I believe a more pressing issue facing Isabella County is how we currently allocate our prosecutorial staff resources. I would work with our local police agencies to prioritize the types of cases we force to trial or take a “no plea bargain” position to keep our most vulnerable citizens, our children, our senior citizens and others who are not able to protect themselves, safe.
If elected, what goals and initiatives would be your priority?
Community service will be a pillar in my office. I will lead by example and insist that my staff also become involved by serving on boards and organizations to gain an insight into our County’s needs.
My staff and I would work with our schools and the Parent’s of our school-aged children to promote positive behavior by our school children and help arm their parents with information and opportunities to network with other parents, teachers, and law enforcement personnel to be safe in our schools while developing alternative activities for our children to enjoy life without resorting to using drugs or alcohol.
One goal I have is to improve community relations between residents of Isabella County and local law enforcement. One program I would implement to achieve that goal would be hosting “Coffee with a Cop and a Prosecutor” offering an opportunity for residents to become more acquainted with their prosecutor and police officers – a program already in place in Midland County.
I would also want to meet with police officers on a monthly basis and seek input from them on how we could better utilize our prosecutor’s office staff and resources to keep our residents safe.
I would also follow through on implementing the Interagency Agreement for collaborative mental health treatment. In 2014, representatives from the Sheriff’s Department, the Prosecutor’s Office, Community Mental Health for Central Michigan as well as the District and Chief Circuit Court Judge entered into an Interagency Agreement to create a collaborative program to provide mental health treatment and assistance to people with serious mental illness. The purpose of the program is to divert those individuals that are at risk of entering the criminal justice system, or who are already incarcerated, but are not receiving adequate mental health services while in jail.
I believe this program offers a great way to serve the needs of those individuals that have mental health issues and should be implemented immediately as the framework already exists.
David Gilbert, Republican
Age: 58
Current position: attorney, private practice
Education
1996 BBA Northwood University – Magna Cum Laude
1998 JD Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Connect
Web: none
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/David-Gilbert-for-Isabella-County-Prosecutor
Social: TBA
What qualities make a good prosecutor?
Honesty, Integrity, and the ability to see both sides, assuring that justice is served.
Why are you the right candidate?
I can see the big picture, am a good listener, keep a conservative perspective and enjoy being in trial. I have success in Federal, State and Tribal Courts.
What is the most pressing issue facing Isabella County?
Illegal Drugs
If elected, what goals and initiatives would be your priority?
Early intervention and prevention in substance abuse, establish Veterans Court.
Robert Holmes, Republican
Age: 58
Current position: Acting Prosecutor, Isabella County
Education
Denmark High School, Denmark, Wisconsin
Undergraduate- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Honors), Green Bay, WI
Law School- Thomas M. Cooley Law School (Honors), Lansing, MI
Connect
Web: www.robertholmesprosecutor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/robertholmesprosecutor/
Social: Robert Holmes for Prosecutor Ice Cream Social: May 20, 2018, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Mill Pond Park, Mt. Pleasant, Featuring Doozie’s Ice Cream.
What qualities make a good prosecutor?
The ability to put the citizens of Isabella County and office of Prosecuting Attorney above oneself. A work ethic to see the job through regardless of the effort required. Finally the wherewithal to apply the law equally, practically and fairly.
Why are you the right candidate?
I possess the requisite maturity, skill and knowledge to keep the office of Prosecution Attorney moving forward in a positive direction. I am aware of, and capable of, performing the duties of prosecutor without missing a beat. My 21 years as an Assistant Prosecutor and 6 plus years as Chief Assistant Prosecutor have provided me with the skills, knowledge and leadership qualities needed to keep the Prosecutor’s Office moving smoothly and efficiently. I have successfully tried scores of felony, misdemeanor and abuse and neglect cases.
I trust that my performance as a veteran prosecutor for 27 years has demonstrated to the Isabella County community that their continued trust in me as the next Prosecuting Attorney is well placed. I do not believe that I have let the citizens of Isabella County down in my past 27 years of service to them. I will continue to work to keep their trust and respect in the future.
What is the most pressing issue facing Isabella County?
The recent explosion of methamphetamine and opioid trafficking and use. The Isabella County Prosecuting Office works with the Isabella County Trial Court through juvenile and adult drug court programs in order to prevent recidivism.
If elected, what goals and initiatives would be your priority?
The Isabella Country Prosecutor’s Office is currently engaged with the Isabella County Trial Court juvenile and adult drug court programs. The office also has a school reading program that seeks to eliminate domestic violence. Likewise, the office collaborates with the Isabella County Child Advocacy Center as well as sponsoring a 5 K Walk/Run to raise funds for the Women’s Aid Service, Inc. All of these programs are necessary and worthwhile.
However, as prosecutors our sworn duty is to uphold the laws of the State of Michigan.
The professionalism and skills of the Isabella County Prosecutor’s staff and attorney’s are without measure. Yet the changes in technology coupled with the sophistication of today’s criminals do not allow for complacency. Over the course of my tenure I would seek advanced training and education for staff and attorneys to enhance the quality and effectiveness of meeting our responsibility of protecting the citizens of Isabella County. If we do not successfully prosecute the cases that come before us we are not helping those who depend on us for protection, security and justice.
Larry King, Democrat
Age: 33
Current position: Isabella County Assistant Prosecutor
Education
Cadillac High School in 2003
Bachelor of Public Affairs, Wayne State University 2008
Master of Business Administration, American Public University 2012
Juris Doctor Cum Laude, Ohio Northern University 2014
Connect
Web: King4Prosecutor.com
Facebook: facebook.com/king4prosecutor
Social: TBA
What qualities make a good prosecutor?
A good prosecutor must be fair and even-handed. A prosecutor must always be able to serve with the goal of justice in mind, and must be able to make difficult decisions to ensure justice is done. Leadership skills are also very important because the prosecutor must be able direct the other members of the staff which do the difficult day-to-day work of the office.
Why are you the right candidate?
I am enough of an insider to ensure the office functions seamlessly through this tough transitional period, but I am still enough of an outsider to see what needs to change. I have the legal skills necessary to effectively prosecute cases, and I have the business management skills necessary to make the office run well. I know that I can bring a lot of fresh new ideas and energy to the office.
What is the most pressing issue facing Isabella County?
Isabella county, like so many other communities, is in the grips of an opiate abuse epidemic. This is a problem which, if elected, I plan to work diligently to tackle.
If elected, what goals and initiatives would be your priority?
From my position inside the office I can see several things that need to be changed in order to better serve our community. I feel I am the right person to bring about this change while preserving the all best aspects of the current office. I believe in a smarter, more targeted approach to prosecution. I want to re-focus our efforts and target our resources on the aggressive prosecution of violent offenders and the drug traffickers who are poisoning our community.
At the same time, I believe we should expand the use of diversion, treatment courts, rehabilitation, and other alternative programs to help minor and non-violent offenders become productive members of society while still holding them accountable. I also believe the office needs to be more engaged and active in the community.