The Cayuga County district attorney updated the Judicial & Public Safety Committee on Nov. 5 about grand jury activity, a new diversion program, STRIVE grant work on intimate‑violence cases, and an Office of Victim Services award.

The district attorney said grand juries returned 25 indictments in September and 26 in October. He said a newly launched diversion traffic program produced roughly $15,000 in additional revenue in its first two months of operation and that the program is “becoming very popular.”

The DA said the office is actively involved in the statewide STRIVE targeted reductions in intimate violence grant, an initiative from the governor’s office. He said Cayuga County is one of 20 Upstate New York counties selected for STRIVE and commended the STRIVE prosecutors and local law‑enforcement partners for implementing the program locally.

The DA also told the committee that on Nov. 4 the Office of Victim Services awarded the county an additional $55,000 to fund a victim‑centered support staff member required by grant conditions. “We can't function without [a victim advocate],” the DA said, noting the county’s plan to reassign one support‑staff duty to meet the grant requirement. The DA said the county will await contracts and any further funding notifications from DCJS concerning a potential technology grant that could offset body‑camera costs.