Associated Press - May 28, 2009 12:25 PM ET

HOBBS, N.M. (AP) - Unions representing Hobbs and Carlsbad police officers have sued District Attorney Janetta Hicks, asking a Carlsbad district judge to stop Hicks from requiring officers to prosecute misdemeanors.

An attorney for the unions says police officers are not trained attorneys.

In February, Hicks notified law enforcement agencies in Lea, Eddy and Chaves counties that her office would prosecute only cases of drunken driving or domestic violence between intimate partners.

She said prosecuting all other misdemeanors would be up to the officer who investigated the case.

Union attorney Tom Martin says a 2-day course officers take at the police academy called "officer as prosecutor" is not enough training to prosecute cases.

Information from: Hobbs News-Sun, http://www.hobbsnews.com

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