Alameda County's new district attorney talks about her plans for office
OAKLAND — Alameda County officially has a new district attorney. Ursula Jones Dickson was sworn in Tuesday afternoon.
She was one of 15 people to apply for the job and was chosen from among seven finalists.
Dickson was unanimously voted into the position by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors after a long interview process.
"The one thing I'm most concerned about here at the DA's office is the cohesiveness," said Dickson. "This is not Tom Orloff's office, this is not Nancy O'Malley's office, it's not Pam Price's office. It's the Alameda County DA's office, and I just happen to be leading it now."
Former DA Orloff and O'Malley were there for her swearing-in, but Price was not.
Dickson is taking over the position after the previous DA, Price, was recalled in November by 63 percent of voters.
Dickson said one of her top priorities will be reversing some of Price's directives that limited how cases could be charged and when enhancements could be added.
"Those will no longer be in place because the expectation is the people charging cases know how to charge a case," said Dickson. "They shouldn't have to go through three levels of supervisors to determine whether or not an enhancement should be charged."
Representative Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, came out in favor of the Price Recall last year.
He has previously worked with Dickson, who has been an Alameda County Superior Court Judge since 2013.
He said he wishes her well in taking over the office.
"She was a talented lawyer in the office, a fair judge when she was on the bench, and she has her hands full because on one hand, she has to put together an office that has been dismantled," said Swalwell. "She has to project to the community that people are going to be protected, and crimes are going to be prosecuted."
Dickson portrayed that she is up for the challenge of regaining the public's trust.
"I think our biggest call is going to make sure that victims in the community realize that it is our job, as a victim-centered process, it's our job to make sure they are heard," said Dickson.
She plans to hit the ground running, immediately assessing the level of training prosecutors have or need, rebuilding victim-witness assistance programs, and meeting with murder victims' families, and she said she is in it for the long haul.
"I'll run in 2026, I'll run in 2028, and I'll run in four years after that for sure," Dickson said. "I'd like to stay around a little longer but we'll see how it works out."
Dickson's appointed term runs until June of 2026. Then, voters will have the opportunity to elect her, or someone else, for the next two-year DA term.
