Tori Verber Salazar
District Attorney
Tori Verber Salazar has brought national attention to the work being done at the San Joaquin County’s District Attorney Office. She rose through the ranks prosecuting gang related homicides to become the first woman District Attorney elected to the office in 2015. She has since instituted sweeping reform and innovation in prosecution for the County, which supports a population of over 780,000 residents. In her capacity, she oversees a budget of $52 million and a team of over 300 team members who work to ensure justice is equitable for all.
Through her leadership, Verber Salazar has implemented office-wide changes including expansion of Victim-Witness services, establishment of the Family Justice Center (expanding services into multiple cities within the county), and creation of the first Political Integrity Unit dedicated to prosecution of corruption cases - which has led to the successful prosecution of elected or appointed officials for misuse of the public trust.
She is a leader in restoring justice through record clearance and giving people an opportunity to seek employment, housing, and education. She has addressed the racial inequities in the past implementation of the criminal justice system and has worked to restore trust in our community by apologizing and accepting responsibility. She has worked collaboratively with the community to strengthen trust, accountability, and healing
Verber Salazar is recognized as a leader in the national dialogue in regard to Officer Involved Critical Incidents and piloting the first District Attorney led restorative justice program in the state of California. Through her innovation, many Counties across the Country look to her policies and practices. She has conducted extensive work with the Stanford School of Law in pioneering substantive changes as to how officer involved fatalities are investigated and prosecuted, which was the foundation for groundbreaking legislation in AB 1506. Her pursuit for equitable justice for all often includes second-chance programming for low-level offenders through the Project Navigate Constructive Change diversion program and collaborative courts. This unique partnership initiated an open dialogue with the community she serves and has been transformative for San Joaquin County.
She is married with three children.