Eric Zahnd has announced his intention to become Platte County Prosecuting Attorney.
Zahnd seeks the office being vacated by Todd Graves, who will become the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Zahnd will run for the office as a Republican in the November 2002 election.
Zahnd said, “My mission as prosecutor will be clear: I will aggressively enforce the law and put a priority on the safety of Platte County families.” Zahnd pledged to be especially tough on violent crimes, domestic abuse, and sex offenses. “I look forward to working with Platte County’s other law enforcement officials to put those who prey on law-abiding citizens behind bars.”
Zahnd is an attorney with Bryan Cave LLP. He had worked for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and served as a staff assistant to then-governor John Ashcroft’s Commission on Crime. He has also served as a special assistant prosecuting attorney in Cass County.
“My experience at the state and local levels has taught me that cooperation between law enforcement agencies is vitally important, “said Zahnd. “I will enthusiastically support Platte County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, which enables close coordination between the sheriff’s department, city police department, city police departments, and the prosecutor’s office.”
Zahnd is a member of the Tri-County Domestic Violence Board, which distributes funds to domestic violence shelters serving Platte, Clay, and Ray counties.
“I am particularly concerned with crimes that affect seniors, women, and children,” Zahnd said. “As prosecutor, I will not tolerate crimes that violate the security of the family or victimize those who are least able to protect themselves.”
Zahnd is also a member of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Platte County Economic Development Council. “Talk to people in our community,” he said, “and they will tell you that Platte County’s crime rate is among the most important factors individuals and businesses consider in deciding where to locate. My job will be to help keep our community safe, so Platte County families and businesses can continue to grow in a secure environment.”
Zahnd graduated with honors from William Jewell College in Liberty and received masters and law degrees from Duke University. He lives in Platte Woods. His wife Tracy is a former public school teacher and currently serves in the executive committee of Northland Habitat for Humanity. They have one son and are expecting another child in November.