Hagaman: Why The Merrimack County Attorney Matters More Than You Think

By Meg Hagaman, NH Journal

If you care about safe neighborhoods, strong law enforcement, and a justice system that puts victims first, then you should care about who serves as the next Merrimack County attorney. This race may be down-ballot, but the role has a lasting impact on the community and the future of law enforcement in the county.

The county attorney is Merrimack County’s chief prosecutor, and the office handles most criminal matters, including many serious crimes that tend to make headlines, like sexual assault, drug trafficking, attempted murder, and other cases that directly affect individuals, families, and businesses.

The county attorney also manages a team of experienced prosecutors, investigators, victim-witness advocates, and support staff. The county attorney must be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, ensure resources are focused on prosecuting serious crimes, and set the tone for an office that partners with law enforcement officials, community stakeholders, and policymakers to safeguard the public.

Not only does the team at the Merrimack County Attorney’s Office deserve a strong leader invested in their success, but voters also deserve a county attorney who will hold criminals accountable, support victims, work side by side with law enforcement, and pursue justice in every case. The office needs a leader who has proven they will be firm and fair and will follow the facts.

Although it is a partisan, elected position, the role must serve all residents. The campaign process itself, if done right, can be enormously valuable — assuring an otherwise lesser-known position has a direct line to the voice and concerns of the people.

On the campaign trail, residents have shared that they want to know their communities are safe and that the justice system is working. They want confidence that violent criminals, repeat offenders, fentanyl traffickers, and drug dealers who prey on addiction will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They want a justice system that is tough where it should be, fair in every case, and worthy of public trust.

That takes more than passion, good intentions, or political rhetoric. Being County Attorney is not just about trying cases — it is about making sure the Office delivers for the public every day. It also means using taxpayer resources wisely and focusing those resources on protecting our communities and supporting victims. It takes someone who is practiced in tough decision-making, strong relationship-building, persuasive advocacy, and effective administration. It requires someone who is both an experienced prosecutor and a proven leader and manager of large teams and complicated cases.

That is why I am running to be the next Merrimack County attorney. Experience matters because the County Attorney makes decisions that affect public safety every day and must ensure justice is pursued fairly and consistently. My career has been dedicated to that mission here in the Granite State — beginning in Merrimack County and later serving as chief of the Criminal Justice Bureau at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, where I prosecuted some of the state’s most complex criminal cases, including murder.

While leading both large and focused teams responsible for enforcement of the law across New Hampshire, I have learned that public confidence in the criminal justice system is earned one case at a time. The next Merrimack County attorney elected to serve must keep that in mind and be a confident litigator and leader who will have a steady hand when holding the scales of justice.

Meg Hagaman is a Bow resident and a Republican candidate for Merrimack County Attorney. She wrote this for NHJournal.com.

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.