FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Coconino County Attorney’s Office has initiated a succession plan that includes the resignation and reassignment of County Attorney Bill Ring. At the Board of Supervisors meeting today, Ring’s resignation was accepted, and he was appointed Chief Civil Deputy Attorney, while Chief Deputy County Attorney Ammon Barker was sworn in as interim County Attorney, and Senior Criminal Attorney Michael Tunink was appointed Chief Deputy County Attorney. All actions were approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Barker is running unopposed for County Attorney and will begin his first four-year term in January. As interim County Attorney, Barker is authorized to appoint attorneys to positions within the office. Barker’s first action as interim County Attorney was to appoint Michael Tunink as Chief Deputy Attorney and appoint Bill Ring as Chief Civil Deputy Attorney.
Ring was elected in 2016, and 2020, as Coconino County Attorney. Prior to his election, he served the County in every position common to deputy county attorneys including juvenile, misdemeanor and felony prosecutor and, most often, as a civil deputy and Senior Civil Attorney. In total, he has served 24 years in the County Attorney’s Office with eight of those as County Attorney.
“In the Attorney’s Office we strive to produce conditions where people feel safe and secure and regardless of their circumstances, are treated fairly and equitably. I feel confident that I have kept my promises and achieved what I came to do,” Ring said. “I also believe in term limits and there is an extremely talented generation of attorneys ready to take the lead.”
Ring is a state and national award-winning prosecutor and a strong advocate for improving the safety of communities through fair application of the law, and for ethical and effective public service from the Coconino County Attorney’s Office. “I am very pleased with the succession plan we’ve prepared for and now begun,” he said.
Barker, for over a decade, has prosecuted cases involving murder, criminal street gangs, and sexual offenses for Coconino County. In 2021, he was appointed Chief Deputy County Attorney. Barker has overseen the operation of treatment courts for the County Attorney’s Office, and he continues to pursue options for criminal offenders that will reduce recidivism while keeping our communities safe.
“I am honored to be appointed interim Coconino County Attorney and look forward to continuing the important work of our office to ensure that every member of our County feels safe, secure, and able to flourish,” Barker said. “I’m also happy that Bill Ring, who has been a mentor and friend for many years, will continue working in our office in this new role.”
Tunink has focused on criminal prosecutions involving dangerous crimes against children, sexual assault, and homicide in Coconino County for 9 years, and previously in Navajo County for 5 years. He is a four-time nominee for APAAC Prosecutor of the Year, and this year was awarded the Distinguished Public Lawyer Award by the State Bar of Arizona Public Lawyers Executive Council.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our County in a greater capacity in this leadership role,” Tunink said. “I am honored to help lead a great team of civil and criminal attorneys in providing excellence in advocacy in the courtroom and legal advice to our clients.”
These appointments highlight the thoughtful succession planning and elevation of talented attorneys to lead the Coconino County Attorney’s Office.