The State Attorney’s Office in Vero Beach is preparing for a series of significant leadership and staffing transitions over the coming months. State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl’s team will soon see the departure of a steadfast leader, the return of a highly experienced familiar face to guide the Indian River County office, and the arrival of a fresh wave of newly minted prosecutors.
Assistant State Attorney Bill Long, widely credited with steering the Vero Beach office through the unprecedented court shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic and managing the subsequent massive felony backlog, is moving on to a prestigious new role. Long is set to become a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice, marking him as the second lawyer from the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit to make this transition recently, following in the footsteps of Justin Miller.
To ensure a seamless transition, Assistant State Attorney David Dodd is returning to manage the Vero Beach office, at least on a temporary basis. Dodd is no stranger to Indian River County, having initially worked his way up through the local ranks from misdemeanor prosecutions to handling complex felony cases. He later served in the Major Crimes Division in Fort Pierce before taking the helm of Bakkedahl’s St. Lucie County office in 2021.
To manage the shuffling of leadership across the circuit, the following personnel shifts have been established:
- Bill Long: Departing his leadership role in Vero Beach to join the federal Department of Justice.
- David Dodd: Returning to Vero Beach to temporarily oversee operations and train incoming attorneys.
- Steve Gosnell: The Chief Assistant State Attorney will step in to take over Dodd’s previous responsibilities in St. Lucie County.
“David is awesome. He’s been running our office in St. Lucie and if you can make it in St. Lucie, it’s like that Sinatra song – ‘if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere,’” Bakkedahl said. “He lives up in Vero … and I think he’ll do phenomenal up there. My only fear is he won’t want to come back to St. Lucie when I need him.”
This leadership transition highlights the distinct operational differences within the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, which encompasses Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. St. Lucie County manages approximately two and a half times the felony caseload of Indian River County. Last year, St. Lucie recorded 2,866 new felony cases across its three felony divisions, compared to 1,260 cases handled by Indian River County’s single felony division.
Despite the heavy workload, the Vero Beach office—the northernmost in the circuit—has made incredible strides. Bakkedahl proudly noted that for the first time since 2022, the local felony case backlog has dropped below 1,000 cases.
Beginning in August, Dodd will take on the crucial role of training a new cohort of young prosecutors. These incoming attorneys will start by handling misdemeanor cases to learn essential courtroom procedures, paperwork navigation, and how to effectively collaborate with law enforcement, victims, and defense attorneys. Once they gain their footing, they will transition into felony cases and eventually specialize in targeted fields such as economic, capital, or sex crimes.
To help attract and retain this vital legal talent against the lure of the private sector, the state’s 2026-27 budget includes substantial financial incentives. The starting salary for new state attorneys has been raised to $87,000.
Additionally, unless vetoed by Governor DeSantis, an across-the-board $10,000 salary increase is slated for current serving prosecutors. Bakkedahl praised the Florida Legislature for recognizing the immense stress and heavy caseloads borne by his staff. While acknowledging that attorney turnover is an expected reality of the justice system as lawyers leverage their training for private practice, he remains optimistic that the competitive compensation and robust state benefits package will greatly assist in building a dedicated team focused on public safety in Vero Beach.
