As the top prosecutor in the County, the Hillsborough County Attorney’s responsibility is to work closely with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of the citizens of the County.

In order to do that, the County Attorney should be someone experienced in prosecuting the most serious crimes and with a proven track record of working with police agencies.

The County Attorney should also be someone who is a fierce advocate for victims of crime; someone who has stood up for victims time and again.

I have worked in a prosecutor’s office for thirteen years and have prosecuted hundreds of serious felonies for over ten years. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated my ability to work with various agencies and the general public to keep the citizens of New Hampshire safe. I have conducted numerous trainings with local police departments, Police Standards and Training, the NH Bar Association, DCYF and the Child Advocacy Center.

Before attending law school I advocated for abused and neglected children as a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). I am currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Granite State Children’s Alliance (GSCA); which oversees four Child Advocacy Centers in the State. As a Board member of the GSCA and Chairperson of the Outreach and Education Committee, I have been to many outreach events in the county; raising awareness of the organization and promoting child safety.

The position of Hillsborough County Attorney is not about politics. Never once in my years as a prosecutor was I asked by a victim what my political party was. I did not hesitate to speak out to the Legislature when lawmakers threatened the closure of the Superior Courthouse in Nashua and I advocated for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. As an Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney I have been privileged to work with an amazing group of people. From the other Assistant County Attorneys and the Victim Advocates to the Investigators and Legal Assistants, every person in the office works tirelessly every day to ensure that justice is brought to the citizens of the County who may find themselves victims of crime. They do this even though in the past two years, they have seen their caseload increase while losing three attorney positions and one victim advocate position.

I am running FOR the office of Hillsborough County Attorney because the citizens of Hillsborough County deserve an experienced, dedicated prosecutor who TRULY believes in the office and the important work it does. They deserve a strong advocate for victims of crime and a person with a demonstrated ability in working WITH police departments.

Please vote for me in the General Election on November 6, 2012.

Patricia M. LaFrance