James Eicher is the new face of justice in the east county.

He is Moorpark and Simi Valley’s new community prosecutor, a deputy district attorney who rotates between the two cities, working with detectives to answer legal questions. He also works with the two communities to prevent crime and provide residents with access to the county’s top legal counsel.

“People have a part of the DA’s office in their own backyard,” Eicher said.

Eicher, 43, was appointed by Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten. Eicher’s first day was Nov. 17.

Eicher said Totten has “a lot of heart” for the east county and wants the community prosecutor program to thrive in the coming years.

“He put a lot of resources and effort in place for this to be successful,” Eicher said. “It’s a big responsibility. It’s taken several years to get this program going.”

His job is to help police with search warrants, investigations and arrests.

Eicher said he enjoys his job working closely with police officers and residents. When it comes to defining his position, Eicher doesn’t mince words: “to fairly but aggressively prosecute those who do crime,” he said.

While he splits his time between Moorpark and Simi Valley, his home base is a second-story office in the county courthouse, just a few steps from the Simi Valley Police Department.

He works with detectives on any misdemeanor and felony cases that could be tried in court including theft, fraud, assault and battery and drug cases. He also reviews warrants before they go to a judge for approval.

With experience as both a lawyer and a police officer, Eicher is uniquely positioned to head the District Attorney’s East County Office, his colleagues say.

Before becoming a lawyer seven years ago, Eicher worked for 13 years as a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. He served in different capacities, including as a patrol officer, field training officer, domestic violence coordinator and assistant watch commander.

“We really wanted someone who would establish a rapport with police officers and give them timely advice,” Simi Valley Police Chief Mike Lewis said. “He’s a very easy guy to communicate with.”

Eicher also will work directly with prosecutors responsible for prosecuting gang crimes in Simi Valley and Moorpark. He will work with city attorneys and code compliance staff members, attend Neighborhood Watch meetings, and will be available to residents.

Guaranteed for three years

A community prosecutor program started countywide in 2002 with money from a federal grant designed to stem gang violence. Seven months later, the District Attorney’s Office, which offered Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and unincorporated areas their own prosecutor, had to pull the program because of a lack of funding.

Thousand Oaks was the only city that decided to pay to keep it going, spending $214,666 to have a senior deputy district attorney through 2009.

Eicher’s position is guaranteed to be funded for at least three years. Simi Valley earmarked $60,000 for the position and Moorpark, $20,000, and Totten said he would allocate $52,000 annually for the next three years.

Eicher’s annual salary with benefits is about $126,000.

His office also is staffed with two investigators who help with small claims advisory and consumer mediation. On a recent day, 34 people came to the District Attorney’s Office about landlord-tenant issues.

“We have staff that will provide citizens with the right path to get an answer,” Eicher said.

In the first few months of his job, Eicher is keeping what he calls a “running playbook” of statistics and cases, with an eye on spotting trends.

He sits on the Simi Valley Crime Prevention Task Force and will assist officers working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault at Safe Harbor, the multi-disciplinary interview center in Simi Valley.

Travel delayed progress

He spends at least two half-days at the Moorpark Police Department. Capt. Ron Nelson, Moorpark’s police chief, said having Eicher in-house developing cases “is an asset.”

“He reviews all of our completed cases for prosecution and gets them filed for us,” Nelson said.

In the past, detectives traveled to Ventura several times a week, which delayed the progress on cases.

Eicher said he spends a lot of time reviewing warrants before they are given to a judge for approval.

Eicher lives in Thousand Oaks with his wife, Sandy, and two daughters, Hannah and Sarah.

The District Attorney’s East County Office is in the county courthouse at 3855-F Alamo St. in Simi Valley.

For more information, call 306-7927.