New Hillsborough Co. state attorney sworn in

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Andrew Warren turned 40 on January 1, and two days later was sworn in as Hillsborough County's new State Attorney.

"My goal is to make Hillsborough County the model of what a state prosecutors office should look like," said Warren to a packed courtroom.

Warren, who was a former federal prosecutor and newcomer to the political scene did something not many people thought he could - beat incumbent Mark Ober in November.

He pledged a renewed focus on offender rehabilitation, especially for the youngest of offenders.

"We must endeavor to steer young, violent offenders, especially juveniles away from the downward spiral of a conviction and  incarceration, " said Warren.

He says they should take responsibility for their actions, but not simply be locked up and forgotten.

One way he wants to change the culture is to understand it.

"We must provocatively engage with the community so that those we serve view us as not the enemy but as their partner, " explained Warren.

After his big win in November, Warren told FOX 13 he doesn't measure success by conviction rates and incarcerations.

His focus, he says on day one, will be on the crimes that keep all of us up at night.

"The murder, the rape, the domestic abuse, child abuse, economic crimes, crimes that threaten people's physical security - that's what we are gonna focus on," said Warren.

Since December, Warren has been meeting with community leaders to hear their concerns and begin the dialogue of change.