John Hart/jhart@theunion.com | The Union
Cliff Newell’s response
”Mr. Alkire is certainly entitled to his opinion, but he is wrong. Our record speaks for itself. We continue to effectively prosecute crime, notwithstanding dramatic cuts in resources from the state and locally.
“We have a solid conviction rate that has helped keep Nevada County one of the safest communities in the state, and, proudly, kept within my budget every year. I restructured the office to meet the increased demands and my Assistant DA, Anna Ferguson, has done a good job of implementing my policy. ln doing so, we have made demands that all employees work to their full potential; most do but some may be resentful for being held to that standard. Public safety is not a popularity contest but a serious and tough business, not to be taken lightly. Not everyone appreciates that.