New Eau Claire County District Attorney looks to the future

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Eau Claire County has a new district attorney and he is no stranger to the office.

Governor Evers appointed Peter Rindal last week to take over for former DA Gary King who resigned from the position as he was being investigated for sexual harassment and being intoxicated at work.

Rindal has worked in the office since 2013. He started as an assistant district attorney and was promoted to deputy district attorney in 2015.

“This seemed like a natural step forward so when the opportunity presented itself, I thought that was something I would be very interested in doing,” Rindal said.

Entering the position, Rindal looks to regain the public’s trust in its District Attorney.

“I have been a part of hiring and managing our current attorney staff which I think is a great group that has proven over the last few months how professional and dedicated they really are,” he said. “Public safety is the central focus of the district attorney’s office and I am going to work very hard to make sure we maintain that focus and maintain the public’s trust moving forward but I am very excited I think we have a great group and we have a lot of potential for performance as prosecutors.”

After what he calls a difficult summer, Rindal said he and his staff are set up for success as they continue to pursue justice in the courtroom.

“The DA leads the office so there has been a lot of question about what the future is going to look like I can say I very much appreciate how quickly the governor’s office has moved through this appointment process and that has brought a relief just knowing who is going to be leading the office. I think I can speak for the staff when I say everyone is feeling a little bit better about that,” Rindal said.

Governor Evers said Rindal’s decade of experience in prosecution made him a great fit for the position writing in a press release, “He cares deeply about protecting the public and improving the criminal justice system”.

Rindal is a western Wisconsin native raised on a dairy farm and a graduate of Fall Creek High School. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin Law School.

“It has been clear to me for a long time that I want to be a prosecutor. I enjoy prosecuting cases. I take a lot of personal satisfaction from this work and I am very committed to Eau Claire county. I am committed to being a prosecutor.”

Rindal will serve as DA for the remainder of King’s term which expires in January 2025.

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