IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers STAYING BUSY—After just two weeks at his new job as community prosecutor, Dep. District Attorney Jim Eicher has begun to settle into his office in the Simi Valley courthouse. When Dep. District Attorney Jim Eicher started his first day of work Nov. 17 as the newly appointed community prosecutor for Simi Valley and Moorpark, he had the phrase "do justice" in mind.

Those are the words Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten told Eicher just a year ago when he was sworn in as a deputy D.A. Eicher recalled them last week while talking to the Acorn about his new position.

"Really, what we do and why we're here is to promote public safety and to promote justice by aggressively and fairly prosecuting those who violate the law," the Thousand Oaks resident said.

Eicher's appointment is the culmination of two years of work by Totten and Supervisor Peter Foy to bring county services east of the Camarillo grade. The deputy D.A. said he's aware of the heightened responsibility that comes with being the East County's first community prosecutor.

"I think that's what makes it exciting, because it is a work in progress," Eicher said the second day on the job. "Because I'm the first one here, we get an opportunity to create the manual."

Eicher's qualifications for the job include 13 years as an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. While working as a patrol officer, Eicher went to law school at the University of La Verne. Upon graduation in 2002, he left the department—where he was about to become a lieutenant—to work at a civil firm in Los Angeles.

A year later, he transferred to the Law Offices of Alan E. Wistosky, a local civil firm that serves as special counsel for the sheriff of Ventura County and the chiefs of police for the cities of Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme.

Eicher said his experience as a police officer gives him a unique advantage in his new position.

"As a former law enforcement officer, I have an added advantage in being a prosecutor (because I) can relate to what the officers and deputies go through," said Eicher, who was working in the felony unit of the D.A.'s office before he was appointed to his current position.

Eicher said he sees his role as forming a partnership between the district attorney's office, the Simi and Moorpark police departments and the community.

"One of the great things about having a community prosecutor is that nexus between victims, witnesses, police officers, victim's advocates and a local district attorney representative," he said.

A key ingredient for that partnership is open communication, and his presence in the community has a big impact, Eicher said.

"Just in the few days I've been here, I've seen things that I'm encouraged by, because we are so close," he said. "We can answer questions almost right away."

Since he is local, Eicher can attend briefings and Neighborhood Watch meetings and talk in person with patrol officers, deputies and detectives—in addition to his traditional responsibilities of reviewing and filing misdemeanor complaints. This gives Eicher, as well as the main office in Ventura, a better idea of what is going on in the community and what law enforcement is facing, he said.

"We get to be (Totten's) eyes and ears for what's going on in the streets," he said.

Eicher added that his office plans to focus on qualityoflife issues as well as campus-related and gang-related crimes and to work with the city attorney on code compliance violations.

A married man with two teenage daughters, Eicher, 43, said he has a vested interest in helping to protect residents.

"Safer schools, safer communities, safer places for people to raise their families—it's more than just words," he said. "It's something we really want to look back and have an impact on."

Although his new job came at a cost for the cities of Moorpark and Simi, which together contributed $80,000, Eicher said believes it's a worthwhile investment.

"I can't think of a better way to spend funds than to support programs that ultimately make the community a safer place," he said. "Investing in public safety, the promotion of justice, supporting victims of crimes and prosecuting crime—that's at the top of the list."

Eicher will rotate between the two cities, but he will spend most of his time in the Simi offices.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays Eicher will work out of the Simi Police Department and on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings he will be at the Moorpark police station. All other times he will be at his office in the East County Courthouse, 3855-F Alamo Street in Simi Valley.

The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.