Wasco County DA’s Office Joins Federal Program to Target Drug Crime Through New U.S. DOJ Partnership

Aug 14

Written By Columbia Community Connection

The Dalles, Ore., August 13, 2025 – The Wasco County District Attorney's Office announced a significant partnership with the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) to enhance efforts in combating drug crime within the community. This collaboration will leverage the Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) program, a key initiative designed to strengthen federal and local law enforcement efforts.

The SAUSA program allows the USDOJ to cross-deputize local deputy district attorneys as Special Assistant United States Attorneys. This unique arrangement provides local agencies with a wider array of options for charging, sentencing, and holding defendants pretrial, as the deputized attorney can also practice in federal court.

This partnership is an integral component of the USDOJ's Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide program launched in 2001. Project Safe Neighborhoods aims to combine federal and local resources to effectively fight violent crime. The SAUSA program is crucial to this project, enabling local prosecutors, who possess invaluable knowledge of their communities, to maintain local control while harnessing the power and authority of the federal government.

An attorney from the Wasco County District Attorney's Office will serve not only as a Special Assistant United States Attorney but will also extend their expertise to work collaboratively with the Hood River County District Attorney's Office on any eligible cases.

"This is a great resource for us to have," stated Kara Davis, Wasco County District Attorney. "I am very proud of my staff for stepping up to fill this role and I believe this will be a very successful partnership."