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David L. Landefeld, NDAA secretary, and prosecuting attorney for Fairfield County (Lancaster), Ohio, began his career with the prosecutor’s office as an assistant prosecuting attorney in 1980. He has been the prosecuting attorney since January 1983. Initially a part-time position, it became Landefeld’s full-time job in 1989. With a population of approximately 135,000 and just over 500 square miles, Fairfield County is rural by almost anyone’s definition. That does not mean it is without problems. “Our number one crime, as in so many other jurisdictions, is drugs. In the past three to four years we have seen a re-emergence of heroin. Oxycontin has moved in from the Appalachian region of West Virginia/Southern Ohio/Kentucky. Methamphetamine, once thought to be a west coast problem, has arrived in a big way.” Just how big? “While we do still see some local labs, our success at shutting them down has resulted in the drug being imported from out-of-state. As an example, over the summer, our investigators got wind of a two-pound shipment that was on its way here from Long Beach, CA. They arranged for a controlled delivery via Federal Express to the subject’s residence on Buckeye Lake. As the delivery was being made, the suspect saw our guys moving in with their boats and she took off in hers. A chase ensued—you could say a “hillbilly Miami Vice” chase. She got away, but we got the drugs the next day. Eventually she will be caught, too,” Landefeld was happy to report.
In an office of 21 employees (including 10 assistant prosecutors, three of whom are part-time), Landefeld said it is a constant challenge to attract and maintain talented prosecutors. “I realize my office is not alone in this. It’s a problem faced by prosecutors’ offices across the country. I do think student loan forgiveness could go a long way to help alleviate this problem. NDAA continues its efforts in this endeavor.” And, while crime rates are steady or even decreasing, the number of crimes is in fact increasing. “Fairfield County is the third fastest growing county in Ohio. As our population goes up so, too, do the number of crimes committed. Yet we have no increase in funding or staffing to meet these increasing demands,” Landefeld stated. Additionally, Fairfield County is home to a medium security prison that accounts for about eight percent of the county’s criminal caseload. There are other demands, as well. Landefeld points out that in Ohio, county prosecutors handle not only the criminal felony prosecutions, but also all civil cases for the county and its townships. “It is a real challenge to do both and do them well. Over the past 20-plus years, civil cases have become increasingly burdensome, in some ways even more so than the criminal caseload. Not only are there more of them, but the make-up of the cases is now much more complex, and thus significantly more time-consuming. It is more and more challenging to meet both the civil and criminal burdens placed on our offices,” Landefeld said, although he does not see this changing any time soon. Landefeld is especially grateful for the opportunity to attend trainings at the Ernest F. Hollings National Advocacy Center (University of South Carolina campus, Columbia). “I have been there at least once every year since 1998, some years twice. I never cease to be amazed at the bright, articulate, charismatic individuals who are prosecutors. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to associate with these fine men and women.” In his off time Landefeld and his wife, Sandy, love to travel. “My role with NDAA has afforded me the opportunity to travel around the country to attend board meetings and NCDA trainings. Sandy and I have been fortunate to have done some significant traveling on our own, including two trips to Hawaii with visits to the four major islands. Peter Carlisle (NDAA Hawaii state director and Honolulu city and county prosecutor) took us to lunch at a fantastic dim sum restaurant while we visited his city.” Reading is a passion Landefeld indulges as much as time allows. “My wife and I belong to a ‘great books’ book club. It’s allowed me to read a lot of great books and articles I would not otherwise have read. I don’t have a favorite—what I most enjoy is the opportunity it affords me to expand my world. Prosecutors need to get out of their niches every once in awhile, to be exposed to the goodness in people, not just the evil we see too often in our professional lives. Reading and traveling allow me to do just that.” As for words of advice for third-year law students: “Look seriously at becoming a prosecutor. The professionalism among prosecutors is greater than what I’ve seen in the civil and criminal defense bars. Having worked in private practice, including some criminal defense work before becoming a prosecutor, I find this to be true: job satisfaction is so much greater in prosecution. You won’t get rich, but there is no better job.” |
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