Eileen Decker Confirmed |as U.S. Attorney for L.A.

LOS ANGELES (CN) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday night confirmed Eileen Decker as the new federal prosecutor for the Central District of California.

Decker takes the position left vacant by André Birotte Jr. who was confirmed as a federal judge last year.

As U.S. Attorney, Decker will serve the 19 million residents of the district, including the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Decker said she is looking forward to rejoining the U.S. Attorney's Office where she worked as an assistant prosecutor from 1995 to 2009, handling matters related to national security, fraud and organized crime.

"It is an office with a great legacy and outstanding attorneys, and I will work every day to build upon that legacy," Decker said on Thursday.

Decker will leave behind her current job as L.A. deputy mayor for homeland security and public safety.

Mayor Eric Garcetti called Decker one of the "nation's leaders on public safety" and said he would "miss her greatly."

"Los Angeles has become one of the safest big cities in America and a model for disaster preparedness thanks to her leadership and commitment as Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety. Los Angeles is fortunate that we will continue to benefit from her work in public safety as U.S. Attorney," Garcetti said in an emailed statement.

In her post as deputy mayor, Decker was responsible for matters related to the police department, fire department and emergency management department.

The prosecutor was also chief of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney's office and deputy chief of the Organized Crime and Terrorism Section.

U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., recommended Decker for the job and President Barack Obama nominated her in February. The Senate Judiciary Committee on June 4 unanimously approved Decker's nomination.

In response to the executive confirmation, Feinstein called Decker's qualifications "impeccable," citing her 15 years prosecuting cases involving terrorism and national security.

"The breadth of experience Ms. Decker will bring to the position is impressive, and she has earned the respect of the legal community and law enforcement alike," Feinstein said.

Decker graduated from New York University in 1982 with a bachelor's degree magna cum laude. She studied law at the New York University School of Law in 1990, and holds a master's degree from the Naval Post Graduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, California.

She is a member of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

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