ORLANDO, Fla. — Wednesday marked two weeks on the job for Andrew Bain, the newly appointed state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties.

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended the elected state attorney, Monique Worrell, earlier this month on allegations of “neglect of duty and incompetence.” Bain was tapped to replace her.

What You Need To Know

  • State Attorney Andrew Bain marked two weeks on the job Wednesday after replacing Monique Worrell on Aug. 9

  • Bain says his priorities are hiring more staff, increasing trust with the public and police, and reexamining diversion programs

  • Bain, who serves Orange and Osceola counties, says he expected some judgment amid his appointment by Gov. DeSantis

Bain said he expected some judgment following Worrell's suspension.

“I knew that this was going to cost some relationships, or some friendships were probably strained,” he said. “If it was going to be anybody, then let it be me — and I’ll take the heat, I’ll take the criticisms.”

Despite this, Bain said his top priorities include staffing and increasing trust with the public and police.

Right now, there are about 120 prosecutors, but he said he’s pushing to hire 10 to 15 more.

“There was some issues that needed to be addressed and I think I'm the perfect guy for that job," Bain said. "I don’t really have much of an ego, I served in all types of capacities."

He says another priority also includes reexamining diversion programs created to keep some low-level offenders out of jail.

“Some of the (second chance programs) are still a little bit problematic," Bain said. "(We're) beefing up some of the programs like our violence program, because that program really includes you watching a video, and then after you watch a video your case got dismissed.”

He said he's also working on a plan to make it more accessible for people to enter diversion programs without a referral.

Bain said a potential online portal would allow someone arrested for a non-violent offense to see if they qualify for any one of his office's diversion programs.

“We’re trying to overhaul the whole system to reduce workload on my trial attorneys, and increase success and lower the recidivism," he said.

Bain said he wants to be seen as standing firm with a strong message to perpetrators of violence in Orange and Osceola counties.

“If you are somebody that wants to commit violent crimes, and if you are somebody who wants to kill, shoot, murder cause mayhem poison our community, were going to be here to stand in the gap for our community,” he said.

Bain says he’s also continuing to meet with law enforcement agencies to “repair” their relationship with the State Attorney's Office through conversation.