AIRWAY HEIGHTS – The city has a new prosecutor representing it in criminal court cases. Andrew Filak comes to Airway Heights by way of Gonzaga University following a short stint as a patrol officer in Ohio.
This is the first prosecution job for Filak in Washington following an internship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane, where he worked in the criminal division while completing his degree at Gonzaga University. There, he helped with cases with federal misdemeanors such as DUI’s on Fairchild Air Force Base and assisted attorneys with cases of gang crime and drug use.
“I’ve been handling cases similar to this, but on the federal side, for the last two years,” Filak said. “I was recommended by one of the defense attorneys that I worked with there that knows this court system and knew this opening. He recommended I get in touch with the City of Airway Heights.”
Filak reached out to city manager Albert Tripp in the first week of September about the job opening. Tripp responded and worked with Filak on hiring paperwork and filling the position within two weeks.
“I think we knew it was a good match, for the city and for myself, pretty quickly,” Filak said. “It wasn’t too hard for either of us to convince the other.”
Filak’s first month on the job has been busy.
“Airway Heights really does have a lot of cases,” Filak said. “For the geographic size, it’s a very busy place, so I’ve really been busy, which is great. I enjoy it. I’m settled in with the police department; (there are) really good counterparts with law enforcement.”
Filak has worked on a bevy of cases in his first month, from criminal trespassing to DUI’s to assault cases.
“It runs the wide range,” Filak said.
He said he values a close relationship with the police department in order to do his job effectively.
“It makes for a very effective prosecution,” Filak said. “If you talk with the officers and understand what’s going on, you really get a better feel for the case, instead of just reading the reports. My goal is to work closely with them…Chief (Brad) Richmond was kind enough to let me set up an office in (the police department), so I see these officers more.”
Filak is originally from Ohio and got his undergraduate from the University of Cincinnati before spending two years as a patrol officer in Sharonville, Ohio, which is just northeast of Cincinnati.
He decided to pursue prosecution because he felt it better suited him.
“The way my mind works, I can make a better effect on the cases being in the prosecutor’s role,” Filak said. “I’m really glad I have the background and understanding from the law enforcement side, but I think that on a case-by-case basis and hopefully, at some point, a more systematic basis, we can (make sure) that justice is being served for the defendants, the community and the courts.”
Drew Lawson can be reached at [email protected].
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