Jamie Bowers formally announced his candidacy for the office of Woodbury County Attorney Aug. 15. He will run as an independent. Bowers made his announcement at 12:30 p.m. yesterday at a news conference on the main floor of the Woodbury County Courthouse, Sioux City.
Bowers, a Sioux City resident, has 20 years of experience as a prosecutor in both county and federal courts. He was an Asst. Polk County Attorney (Des Moines) for 13 years, including 10 years as the lead drug prosecutor and head of the Drug and Gang Unit. He was an Asst. U.S. Attorney for 7 1/2 years, including 5 1/2 years in Sioux City and two years in U.S. Territories overseas. On July 7, 2006, he resigned his position with the U.S. Dept. of Justice to run for Woodbury County Attorney.
Bowers has prosecuted over 200 jury trials including high-profile murders, domestic violence, drug and gang cases, public corruption, white collar crime, property theft and asset forfeiture.
As a county and federal prosecutor, Bowers formed partnerships with local law enforcement officers, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Immigration officers in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and internationally. He was involved in the formation of Iowa’s first drug court. Bowers has extensive experience managing complex investigations involving multi-jurisdictional task forces.
He has supervisory experience as former head of the Drug and Gang Unit for the Polk County Attorney’s Office. Bowers also has teaching experience as instructor for the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, Des Moines Police Academy, Midwest Gang Investigators Association, and other law enforcement groups. He was also instructor and coach for the Drake University Law School National Mock Trial Team.
Bowers said he decided to run for Woodbury County Attorney after being contacted by local law enforcement officers who voiced their lack of confidence in the candidates nominated by the Republican and Democratic Parties. Bowers said. "My main priority is to make the Woodbury County Attorney's Office an office that is respected by the judiciary, the local defense bar, and criminal defendants. The prosecutors in the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office can and should be the best trial lawyers in town."
Bowers said, "There are some shining stars with natural talent in the County Attorney's Office, but that talent has been underutilized and misdirected." He added, "What the office lacks is strong leadership. I believe I have the necessary experience and common sense approach to provide that leadership and make the office respected in the legal community."
Bowers noted several areas where immediate change is needed:
"For years, the Woodbury County Attorney's Office has been gun-shy about filing civil forfeitures to take ill-gotten money, guns and property from criminals." Bowers added, "This reluctance to use a legitimate law enforcement tool needs to stop. If a dope dealer buys a car with drug money, or sells drugs out of a car, the car should be taken away and sold with the money going to help the law enforcement effort."
"Residential burglaries are not treated as serious crimes in this county. With the exception of sexual assaults and other violent personal assaults, home break-ins are the most intrusive crimes imaginable. Your life is affected hugely when someone breaks into your house and invades your space. We cannot continue with the current practice where police detectives work hard to solve cases, only to have the prosecutor's office engage in plea deals where they agree to ‘stand silent’ at sentencing, ignoring the impact on the victim."
Bowers said, "Certainly, plea agreements and plea bargaining are necessary and important tools within the criminal justice process. We cannot however, make plea deals just because we are afraid to go to trial against more experienced, seasoned defense lawyers, or because the case isn't picture perfect - with a confession, and the crime caught on tape for everyone to see. We can't be cherry pickers. Sometimes we need to try the tough cases and stick up for the victims of crime. This is especially true in cases involving domestic abuse, sexual assault, and cases involving defendants who are habitual criminals."
Bowers challenges Woodbury County citizens: "Talk to your local law enforcement officers. I believe they'll tell you that there are talented people working in the prosecutor's office, but with the right leadership, the office can be stronger and more effective in representing the people of Woodbury County. I believe I can provide that leadership, and that’s why I'm running for County Attorney."
Bowers stated that he is an advocate for many of the diversion-type programs currently in place in Woodbury County, such as the Drug Court and the Mental Health Court. He said, "Although these programs are very expensive to taxpayers, they are an integral part of our justice system. Programs such as these are important opportunities for those who deserve a second chance to straighten out their lives. As both a state and federal prosecutor, I have seen firsthand the good that can come about when people are given a leg-up and a chance to get back on track."
Bowers added, "There are people however, who have used up their chances and need to go to prison for a long time, for the safety of the community. We can't operate a 'catch and release program' just because the jails and prisons are crowded. We have to look at each person independently and with fairness to determine what is right in each situation."
Bowers said that no matter what the outcome of the election, he and his wife, Becky, plan to stay in Sioux City. "In the 5 1/2 years we’ve lived here, we've really grown to love this area and the people here."
As an independent candidate, Bowers urged county citizens: "Vote wisely on November 7th. Vote for the person and not the party when considering the candidates."