District Attorneys From Greater Bay Area Gather For Rare Summit

NAPA, CA — Dozens of prosecutors from across the Bay Area converged Friday in Napa Valley for a rare summit focused on crime and the issues it presents to local prosecutors.

The Greater Bay Area DA Summit drew district attorneys and deputy district attorneys from Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma and Yolo counties. The daylong event was held at the Andaz Napa Hyatt, a few blocks from the offices of Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley.

"It's rare that we get together to talk about deeply human issues that affect every one of us in
this region," Haley said. "Discussing and brainstorming solutions in a collaborative setting is
much more effective than going at it alone."

The summit focused on ways the district attorneys can collaborate on common issues. Some highlights included a Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office presentation on racial justice; a Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office presentation on its approach to the issue of homelessness; a panel discussion of mental health diversion involving the district attorney offices of Napa, Sonoma and Santa Clara counties; and a presentation from the Napa County District Attorney’s Office on prosecutors and the media.

The inaugural summit was hosted in 2022 by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, making Friday's event the second of its kind in Northern California.

"We learned a lot from one another, and I am excited to continue developing this collaborative spirit we have created," Haley said. "The summit also serves as a great networking opportunity for regional prosecutors. It's something that we don’t do enough of."