During the 2025-27 biennial budgeting process, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney’s office received four new prosecutor positions, making it one of the few county DA offices to gain additional staff. In contrast, Attorney General Josh Kaul’s request for 19 new positions for the state crime labs – including critical DNA analyst roles – was not funded at all.
Budget details show divergent outcomes
The Wisconsin state budget documents reveal that the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s office was allocated four new prosecutor slots for the 2025-27 period. This addition follows a previous cycle (2023-25) in which the office did not receive any new assistant district attorney positions.
Attorney General Kaul, who is seeking a second term, had asked the Republican‑controlled Legislature for 19 new crime‑lab positions, ten of which were to be filled by DNA analysts. The Legislature approved none of those requests, leaving the crime labs without any new staff for the same budget period.
Earlier budget cycle showed limited progress for crime labs
In the 2023-25 budget, the Fond du Lac County DA’s office again received no new assistant district attorney positions. Kaul’s request at that time was for 16 new crime‑lab roles, including ten DNA analysts. The Legislature funded only three of those positions, and none were filled by DNA analysts.
Political context of the staffing debate
The staffing disparity became a point of contention during an October 11 debate between Attorney General Kaul and Republican AG candidate Eric Toney. Both candidates discussed backlogs in the state crime labs, but the budget outcomes illustrate a clear difference in legislative support for their respective staffing priorities.
Critics of the current administration’s handling of the crime‑lab budget argue that the lack of new hires hampers the labs’ ability to process evidence promptly, potentially affecting public safety and the efficiency of the criminal‑justice system. Supporters of the Legislature’s decisions note that the limited funding reflects broader fiscal restraint and prioritization of resources at the county level.
What the numbers mean for Wisconsin residents
For residents of Fond du Lac County, the addition of four prosecutors may improve the county’s capacity to handle local cases and support community safety. Meanwhile, the absence of new staff in the state crime labs could prolong case backlogs, affecting victims and defendants across Wisconsin.
Both sides of the debate emphasize the importance of effective law‑enforcement staffing, but the budget outcomes underscore the challenges of securing legislative approval for competing priorities.
Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.
