Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
REMARKS
Commissioner Holmes outlines DOP restructuring and training improvements
0:29:02
ยท
3 min
Commissioner Juanita Holmes explains the restructuring efforts at the Department of Probation, focusing on training improvements and a new notification system for policy changes. She emphasizes the importance of in-service training for existing staff and highlights positive feedback on new training methods.
- New in-service training catalog being developed for efficiency
- Implementation of a notification system for policy and procedural changes
- Positive feedback received on new training methods for probation officers
Juanita Holmes
0:29:02
Well I think the restructuring started with the training, right?
0:29:05
But the training that we have in place in academy is not going to do everything because the majority of our staffing are in service staffing.
0:29:15
So currently as it stands now, we're developing in service training.
0:29:19
So we're going to create a catalog of scenario based training for our staffing to make sure that they're brought up to speed and we're to do it in the most efficient effective way where they can sit at their desk and actually, partake you know partake in this particular training.
0:29:34
It's important but the notification system I think that we put in place is essential as well because of the fact that this notification system ensures that the policy changes or procedural changes, all of our members are aware of it.
0:29:50
So it's not where the executives are speaking about it and myself I expect my DCs to go and you know, collaborate with their staffing and make sure that they're passing on this message.
0:30:02
We actually have a notification system.
0:30:04
Whatever changes happen, they're made aware of it and there's acknowledgment on it, right.
0:30:09
So it's where you have to acknowledge it so we know you received it.
0:30:13
But training is essential I think to the agency.
0:30:18
Everyone's doing, you know, what they know to do, right?
0:30:21
It's what you're trained to do as a probation officer.
0:30:24
And I think it's very significant the changes that we've put in place, but it's going to be more significant once the members that are already in place are receiving that training.
0:30:34
We've even gotten feedback from some of the senior probation officers about the new class that went out and how they felt they were like a well oiled ship just ready to hit the ground and running, which is very positive feedback.
0:30:48
But where we want to focus at is caseload, right?
0:30:51
So there's been some changes made with what probation called as branches when they looked at respective caseloads.
0:30:58
One branch would be community development, another branch would be for sex offenders, another branch would be for what's the other one that you had the branches that were combined?
0:31:10
What is it?
0:31:10
Intensive.
0:31:11
Intensive engagement.
0:31:13
So we combined two of the programs that two of the branches that were very similar, but more importantly we parsed out and made a gun branch.
0:31:21
Why is this important?
0:31:22
Especially with some of our young people and population so we can give them a more intense engagement, right?
Diana Ayala
0:31:30
So can
Amanda Farias
0:31:31
I ask about that restructuring and combining or separation
Althea Stevens
0:31:34
of what
Juanita Holmes
0:31:35
you're doing?
Amanda Farias
0:31:35
Is there an organizational structure somewhere that the city council can refer to or be found at how you either merged departments or divisions or?
Juanita Holmes
0:31:44
Yes.
0:31:44
Well, were simply branches how they were referred to when I came in the door.
0:31:48
So they would have a particular, just a number of probation officers were over the gun branch, another number of probation officers were over the sex offenders branch, things of that nature.
0:31:59
But the way that it's being structured and I guess I'm taking up all the mic time.
0:32:03
Let me give it to my associate commissioner of adult operations.
Antonio Pullano
0:32:06
I can speak to that.