Task force presses DOJ for transparent staffing and metrics on retail-theft prosecution

Task force members asked the Delaware Department of Justice for clearer measures of how fee-funded positions are deployed to prosecute retail theft.

A DOJ representative said retail-fee revenue supports three DOJ positions and suggested the office could provide regular attestations or time-accounting statements similar to models used for other funded deputies. "I did send you guys what the money that we get in and the 3 people that it supports for DOJ," the representative said. Members asked for monthly or annual reporting that captures the full-time-equivalent work devoted to retail-theft prosecutions.

Participants agreed it is not practical to insist that fee-funded staff do only retail-theft work, but said transparency on time allocation and caseloads would help retailers and policymakers assess whether funding matches service and whether additional staffing is needed. The task force asked staff to draft language for the report calling for DOJ to provide metrics and for agencies to consider an attestation model used in other program areas.

Next step: staff to draft language and circulate it for review; DOJ and staff will identify feasible reporting formats.