ND Attorney General Wrigley wants funding boost for crime lab, investigators

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Attorney General Drew Wrigley recently won re-election by a landslide. Wednesday, he announced what his new budget would include.

Wrigley said he would request significantly more funding than the office’s current two-year budget of $96 million. Wrigley didn’t say exactly how much he would ask for, but he says the money will be used for a variety of things.

The first is for the state crime lab: he says the facility needs to be expanded and he hopes to hire more personnel to process evidence and firearms used in crimes.

Currently, firearms have to be sent out of state for testing, because the lab has no one to do it.

”People have to be able to count on us to test the evidence that men and women in uniform are literally risking their lives for,” said Wrigley.

Wrigley is also looking for funds to expand the Medicaid fraud unit, and for three new Bureau of Criminal Investigation officers to work with tribal police in investigating crimes on tribal lands.

The AG’s office has 253 employees. Wrigley also plans to ask for money that includes merit-based pay increases to help with retention. He says, as of now, his office is limited in its abilities to offer competitive salaries for attorneys who could also work jobs in the private sector.