Veteran law enforcement officer Mike Pearre Sr. has been hired as the first-ever detective for the Daviess County Attorney’s Office, a move officials say will strengthen cooperation between prosecutors and local law enforcement while improving efficiency in handling criminal cases.
Pearre, who spent more than 20 years with the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office and served a decade in the U.S. Marine Corps, said he’s eager to help shape the newly created position and set the standard for how it operates moving forward.
“It’s kind of good to think that you’re the first one and can maybe set the standard of how it proceeds from here on out,” Pearre said. “John and I have a game plan as far as helping maintain evidence and being a liaison between the office and law enforcement.”
County Attorney John Burlew said Pearre’s extensive background made him an ideal fit for the role, which was established earlier this year to assist with case preparation, discovery, and coordination between agencies.
“He’ll be a liaison between this office and law enforcement agencies and assist with discovery in our criminal cases,” Burlew said. “He’s already been doing that. We’ve had a couple cases where he’s gone to OPD or communicated with law enforcement to get things for us.”
Burlew said Pearre’s duties will continue to evolve as the position develops, but there’s no shortage of work. The detective will help review criminal and citizen complaints, assist with evidence management, and improve communication between agencies and the court system.
“I anticipate Mike making a lot of phone calls, particularly because of citizen complaints that we get,” Burlew said. “He can call the complaining party, say, ‘Hey, I’ve read your complaint and want to hear you out,’ and then follow up with the respondent. Hopefully some of those can be mediated to keep them out of the criminal court system, but some won’t. It’s all about conflict resolution.”
Pearre said his law enforcement and military backgrounds have prepared him well for the work ahead.
“You learn how to work in a chain of command, take and give orders, and deal with people to accomplish the mission,” he said. “Here, that mission is trying to come up with some kind of resolution in the court system.”
Burlew said Pearre’s service record was another reason for confidence in the hire.
“I like hiring veterans,” Burlew said. “I try to help veterans whenever I can, and I’m happy to do that here.”
The detective will be armed and equipped with a former sheriff’s vehicle, a contribution from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office that Burlew said reflects the close working relationship between the two agencies.
“The sheriff’s office has been really enthusiastic about this position,” Burlew said. “They’ve been helping us get what Mike needs, even offering to take him to their range for training. It’s good to have that support.”
While Pearre has the authority to make arrests, both he and Burlew said the role is not meant to mirror a traditional police function.
“We’re not here to create a new police department within Daviess County,” Pearre said. “We’re here as a liaison between their agencies and the courts.”
Burlew said the ultimate goal is to improve communication, responsiveness, and outcomes for the public.
“I hope citizens are able to see a difference in turnaround time,” he said. “Victims often feel left out of their cases, and I think Mike’s going to help bridge that gap by calling them, asking questions, and helping get the investigation complete.”
