The Warren County Prosecuting Attorney's office will be contracting with Isubpoena for their summons software.
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The Warren County Prosecuting Attorney’s office will be contracting with Isubpoena to improve the summons process for law enforcement agencies in the county, according to Prosecuting Attorney Hannah Dunakey.
All five law enforcement agencies in the county – the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and the Warrenton, Wright City, Truesdale and Foristell Police Departments – will be required to use the software.
“Isubpoena will allow us to send officers subpoenas through an app on their phones,” said Dunakey. “So it’s going to increase efficiency and communication with the departments.”
She said their current process for filing subpoenas for officers is inefficient and becoming a significant burden on her staff.
Right now, staff members in the attorney’s office have to print physical subpoenas and take the time to serve them to officers when they are required to appear in court.
“The burden on our office for getting out subpoenas is just tremendous,” said Dunakey.
She said oftentimes that process will take long enough that by the time officers get off of work and arrive at the courthouse they are no longer needed.
“They’ll (officers) show up on a subpoena and they’re no longer needed, and we don’t have that direct line of communication as well to communicate with them effectively on what’s still going on in court that day,” said Dunakey.
The license and subscription fees for the software will be paid for through the Law Enforcement Restitution Fund, to avoid placing the burden on local law enforcement agencies.
According to Dunakey, the fund is paid through fees assessed against criminal defendants found guilty of specific offenses, including most felonies.
Those funds can then be requested by law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys to supplement costs.
Dunakey said her request from the fund was approved by the Warren County Commission last Wednesday and they will be moving forward with the contract.
“We took it to the board last Wednesday, and they approved it,” said Dunakey. “I think that’s the main takeaway, it’s not a tax, it’s not taxpayer money.”
She said that cost will be roughly $13,000 for the first year including the purchase of the software and subscription fees for law enforcement agencies. That cost will decrease the following year to just subscriptions at which point Dunakey said she will return to the commission for the restitution fund to request additional funding.