New data dashboard details case statistics

He told councilors the county’s data dashboard is now live. In an effort to promote public transparency, he and Wasco County DA Kara Davis teamed up with Fair and Just Prosecution and Kyle Schwab to create the dashboard, which “will allow the public to get an idea of the number of cases coming in for review and the charges being filed in our community,” he said. A link to the new data dashboard is available online at hoodrivercounty.gov/districtattorney.

Ellis said he updates the dashboard monthly.

“It does give us a good idea about what kind of cases we charge out, how many cases we charge out, what the charges are,” he told councilors.

He also provided “A Life of an Adult Criminal Case: A justice system flowchart” that details the entire 11- step process, from incident report to probation incarceration, should the case get that far. That document can be viewed in the May 27 meeting packet, the link of which is on the city’s website, cityofhoodriver.gov.

“There’s a lot that goes into every single case that goes through our office,” he said.

Councilor Doug Stepina asked about the prevalence of fentanyl and its relation to other crimes.

“It’s basically become what I used to see as more methamphetamine, where it’s just the most common drug we’re seeing,” Ellis said, though it’s not been as prevalent as he’d expected in the DUIIs (driving under the influence) cases the office receives. It is often found in relation to other crimes, and those cases can be charged, he said. But for the drug alone, they encourage the person to get treatment.

Ellis said the addition of Jessica Gordon as the county’s DUII (driving under the influence of intoxicants) prosecutor has helped with that particular caseload. The position is grant funded, “so if we don’t get that grant renewal, if we can’t find an alternative form of funding for that position, it’s going to be gone in the next fiscal year (October 2026),” he said.

He also said the department is trying to hire a part-time victim advocate who is Spanish speaking. “Currently, we only have a position for one victim advocate, which is really, really tough,” he said. “That job is just too much for one person to do. Fortunately, one of my former legal secretaries and friend, Martha Ortega, who works with the Hood River Latino Network … [has] agreed to do an independent contract with us to assist with victims and services, and, due to some of the fears at the courthouse right now from our Latino population, she’s also agreed to possibly meet people off site.”