The East County is now home to its own district attorney's office and community prosecutor, giving residents and police officers a local point of contact for a variety of D.A. services previously available only in Ventura.

On Tuesday afternoon, local officials celebrated the grand opening of the long-awaited office in the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley.

"We can't replace fully what we are doing on the west end of the county, but by opening this office, we are trying to bring vital district attorney services out to the cities of Simi Valley and Moorpark," said Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten.

Totten said the office will provide victims services, including granting restraining orders to victims of domestic violence, and it will help the business community by providing a non-sufficient funds program to collect bad checks. The office also offers no cost consumer mediation for people who are victimized by an unscrupulous business and small claims advice.

Since taking office in January 2007, Supervisor Peter Foy has championed the idea of bringing more services to the eastern end of the county, including the county clerk, county assessor and district attorney's offices.

Foy maintains that since East County residents pay 50 percent of the county's tax base, they deserve the services.

"It's about making government convenient and bringing it to the people," he said, adding that he was pleased to see it all come together.

Assemblyman Cameron Smyth (R-Santa Clarita) agreed.

"With the size of Ventura County, you need to have regional offices because (otherwise) it is a hardship for some of the people who live in the East County," he said, particularly for residents who rely on public transportation.

Smyth said the most immediate benefit for everyone will be not having to travel as far, adding that accessibility will improve services as well.

Totten said the effort to bring more services directly to the community was not an easy task, especially with tight funds and budget challenges at both state and local levels.

However, the county was able to open the office relatively free of cost through the reallocation of current personnel, the occupation of vacant county office space and the use of existing furniture and fixtures.

For the city councils of Simi and Moorpark, the benefits of having a community prosecutor outweighed the cost.

"The City Council is committed to maintaining a safe community, so even in these tough times we're willing to step up with the funding because we believe this is really important," Simi Valley Mayor Paul Miller said.

The two eastern cities partnered to finance the full-time prosecutor position, with Simi allocating $60,000 and Moorpark contributing $20,000. A federal grant of $52,000 annually for the next three years covers the rest.

"I hope the cities will see it as a good investment of resources" and continue to fund the position in the future, Totten said.

Simi Valley Police Chief Mike Lewis said he is "incredibly excited" to have a deputy district attorney in the department's "backyard."

"Our detectives can walk across the grass and consult firsthand with an attorney," he said. "Not having to drive all the way to Ventura . . . it's going to be really helpful to us."

Lewis added that the new office will provide "seamless support" for victims and that the Simi police department's victim's advocate will be able to work hand in hand with the county's.

The police chief said he looks forward to the day when judicial services are also shifted closer to the east end of the county, so that victims and officers don't have to travel as far to testify.

Brian Miller, district chief of staff for Elton Gallegly (R-Thousand Oaks), spoke on behalf of the congressman, who played a critical role in obtaining federal funding for the community prosecutor position.

Miller said the East County Courthouse had finally realized its full potential.

"When this building was first built, it was built larger than its needs were, with sort of the promise that if you build it, they will come, and we are seeing that happen," he said.

The East County Courthouse is at 3855F Alamo St. in Simi Valley and is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.