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Q&A
Staffing and recruitment issues in the Department of Probation
1:24:39
ยท
3 min
Council Member Farias questions Commissioner Holmes about staffing and recruitment issues in the Department of Probation, including the cancellation of training classes and postponement of the probation officer exam.
- Three training classes of 50 recruits each were cancelled in 2023
- The probation officer trainee exam was postponed due to anticipated changes in the notice of examination
- A pool of over 200 candidates still exists, with a new class of 50 starting soon
- The training period has been extended from 12 weeks to 5 months
- The starting salary for probation officers is now $61,386, which has helped attract candidates
- Family court services staffing levels are reported to be adequate, with an average caseload of 25
Amanda Farias
1:24:39
Okay.
1:24:39
Thank you so much.
1:24:40
The councilmember's time has expired and I'm going to move on with my questioning on staffing and overtime.
1:24:46
I'd also like to acknowledge we've been joined by councilmember Abreu on Zoom and councilmember Brewer here in the chambers.
1:24:53
So despite such high vacancy rates, three training classes each consisting of 50 recruits were cancelled in 2023 and the most recent probation officers exam was postponed.
1:25:05
Can you folks explain why the probation officer trainee exam was canceled?
Juanita Holmes
1:25:09
Right, so it was postponed due to notice of examination anticipated notice of examination changes, but with that being said, we still have a pool of over 200 people.
1:25:21
We have another class of 50 going in the end of month.
1:25:24
We just graduated 40, a great wonderful graduation because probation never had graduations before.
1:25:30
They have them now.
1:25:31
Their families participate.
1:25:33
Very motivational.
1:25:34
But with that being said, like I said, the class, the actual training time grew from twelve weeks to five months and very much needed.
1:25:44
At least they're coming out well trained, ready to hit the ground and running and what we're attempting to do is now double the academy training staff, therefore doubling the class.
Amanda Farias
1:25:55
Do you folks have a new date set for the exam?
Juanita Holmes
1:25:58
I'm sorry, yes we do.
1:25:59
We have for June 2026.
1:26:01
It's a forecast for our next exam.
Amanda Farias
1:26:04
Great.
1:26:04
And the starting salary for probation officers is now $61,386 Has this helped attract more candidates?
Juanita Holmes
1:26:11
Oh yes, we've been attracting candidates even before the contract was settled.
1:26:17
We've had, like I said, we have about a population of 200 individuals.
1:26:21
I know we had an existing list where there are two thirteen individuals on there which is part of the pool of people that we have.
1:26:29
We were actively recruiting, but we were tabling it.
1:26:32
So it wasn't so much a commercial or public announcement.
1:26:36
It was going out, being part of different events, tabling it, probation officers in uniform, attracting the crowd and that's how we were able to get several resumes.
Amanda Farias
1:26:47
And during the commissioner's testimony at a city hall hearing, you stated that the probation officers and supervising probation officers and family court services were down by about 40%.
1:26:59
Why has DOP not increased the number of officers in family court given that 15, 16, 17 and 18 year olds are driving an increase of arrests?
Juanita Holmes
1:27:08
Right.
1:27:08
No, I think we're pretty good with juvenile.
1:27:11
Right now we're carrying an average caseload of about 20 something?
Unknown
1:27:14
25.
Juanita Holmes
1:27:15
Right, about 25 which is good.
1:27:18
It's great because if you look at adult, I first came in the caseloads were sixty, sixty five, 50 something.
1:27:24
So it's great now that they're carrying an average caseload of 25.
1:27:29
So they're pretty good as far as the spanner control is concerned.
1:27:33
We actually have a spanner control if you're looking at supervising probation officers that is very, very small when you look at it, maybe like a one to three.
1:27:43
The average span of control usually runs four to six in probation, but it can be as much as one to eight, but we try and keep it low so that way it's really intimate follow-up on the respective cases.
1:27:54
But they are definitely supported with staffing and supervising probation officers.
Amanda Farias
1:28:01
Great, thank you.