LEADERSHIP by Ed Goldman
Kevin
Rooney
Chief deputy district attorney San Joaquin County
A two-word motto , which is more like a mantra , guides the career and personal code of Stockton-born attorney Kevin Rooney : “ Do justice .” Rooney is the chief deputy district attorney who supervises San Joaquin County ’ s Mainline Prosecution Division as well as supervising and mentoring the attorneys and support staff of the county ’ s General Felony and Misdemeanor Trial Units .
“ You can lengthen that to ‘ Do the right thing ’ and ‘ Fight for the right ,’ but when it comes down to it , what this office is all about is playing fair ,” he says . “ It doesn ’ t mean locking everybody up . But it does mean strive to keep everyone safe — and everyone means not only the general public , but ( also ) the police , witnesses to crimes and victims ’ families .”
Rooney , 39 , has been with the DA ’ s office for nearly eight years and became chief deputy DA this year . He spent three years in Manhattan as a prosecutor for the New York County District Attorney ’ s Office — a plum job that he landed due to a fiscal
HEALTH CARE disaster in his hometown . In 2012 , Stockton was the largest city in the United States to ever file for bankruptcy , a byproduct of the Great Recession . Stockton was able to
Vanessa Walker
exit Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2015 .
“ It meant that there were no government jobs available , including working for the San Joaquin County DA ’ s office ,” he says . “ Ironically , at the time it was easier for me to get a great job in Manhattan than in Stockton .”
Rooney ’ s office has an expansive sphere
MEDICAL DIRECTOR • Sutter Health Valley Area electronic ICU of influence : the cities or towns of Stockton , Lodi , Manteca , Tracy , Lathrop , French Camp , Ripon , Escalon , Linden , Acampo , Lockeford and Woodbridge . But the place with the biggest crime problem , and Rooney ’ s greatest focus is the county seat : Stockton .
When the city became the scene of a crime spree on its signature artery , Charter Way , in June 2015 , “ We got an awful lot of attention in the news media , both here in the Stockton Record and in Sacramento ,” he says . “ For the sake of the victims and the witnesses , I was glad we received all that coverage , because it helped keep them safe by putting a spotlight on them ( if they were threatened ) and allowed us to deal with the problems and provide some perspective to readers and viewers .
“ These days ,” he continues , “ the press doesn ’ t pay as much attention to us , and that ’ s really all right . There ’ s still a lot of reporting when major crimes occur , but our murder rate in 2021 dropped significantly . In fact , in the first quarter of 2021 , it dropped below our historic averages .” For comparison , in 2020 , Stockton ranked as California ’ s most dangerous city and the 10th most dangerous in the nation : Its violent-crime rate was nearly 1,400 incidents per 100,000 people .
Rooney believes in going to prisons to meet with those who are incarcerated . For someone who ’ s seen violence and experienced professional and personal trauma — a few years ago , he says , “ a witness of mine was murdered , and it will always haunt me ” — he remains optimistic . “ People can and do change ,” he says simply .
As for Rooney , he still finds enjoyment in the challenging work he does . “ Find that place in you where your greatest passions and your greatest talents intersect ,” he says . “ Then , no matter what you do , it will never feel like work .”
MURAL BY MICAH CRANDALL-BEAR ; CHAIR DESIGN BY TRENT DEAN
50 comstocksmag . com | July 2021