Wednesday, March 12, 2008; Posted: 6.01 pm (CDT)

District attorneys are asking legislators to help them bring $40 million into the system. They say--with what's at risk--this issue should top the Capitol's to-do list.

"We have had band-aids placed on a bleed when we need a tourniquet," says Tulsa County DA Tim Harris.

District Attorneys from all over Oklahoma took the trip to the Capitol to try and find a solution.

"We need the tools to keep you all safe," says Harris.

"We all in the Senate recognize that public safety has to be our number one priority," says Co-President Pro-Tem of the Senate Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater.

Only 55 percent of Oklahoma's district attorneys' budget come from state appropriations. Everything else must be scavenged for from things like bogus check fees and drug asset forfeiture.

"Our bogus check fess are down a third," says Oklahoma County DA David Prater. "Our asset forfeiture from drug dealers, that money is going down as well."

"As state employees, it's ridiculous that I spend half of my time trying to make up 45 percent of my budget," says Harris.

The district attorneys must also deal with a 67 percent cut in federal grants.

"We're sailing dead smack into a perfect storm," says Prater.

Oklahoma County alone sees 15,000 new cases a year with about 55 lawyers to handle them.

"That means--at any given time--they have 275 to 300 new cases coming onto their docket every year," says Prater. "At any time they may have 500 to 600 cases on their docket."

Prater says last year Oklahoma's shootings and gang-related homicides dropped by about half, but decreasing funds means fewer employees to help keep Oklahoma safe.

"We've already seen an increase in gang-related drive-by shootings in the first three months of this year," says Prater. "We cannot lose a foot in the foothold that we created last year."

"Don't take my hammer and my nails and my wood and my level away from me and still expect me to build the house called public safety," says Harris.

District attorneys say about 50 positions have already been lost due to the federal cuts. They say public safety is a priority because it also affects the economy. They say businesses won't want to relocate to Oklahoma if they can't guarantee the basics of public safety.

Both leaders of the Senate say they have several ideas in finding funds for the district attorneys. They said they would not comment about what they are because budget negotiations are ongoing.