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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dalvanie Powell, President of United Probation Officers Association (UPOA)
4:48:10
ยท
4 min
Dalvanie Powell, President of the United Probation Officers Association (UPOA), testified about the critical staffing crisis and challenges facing the New York City Department of Probation. She highlighted the department's high attrition rate, low pay for probation officers, and concerns about changes in their role and responsibilities.
- The Department of Probation has the highest attrition rate in the city at 128.6%, with 369 employees leaving between 2023 and December 2024.
- Probation officers are being pushed towards a policing model, including carrying firearms, without corresponding benefits or compensation.
- Powell criticized the administration for mismanagement, lack of respect for the profession, and decisions that undermine the role of probation officers in rehabilitation and public safety.
Dalvanie Powell
4:48:10
Greetings chair and distinguished city council members.
4:48:14
Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
4:48:16
I am Dalvin Lee Powell, president of the United Probation Office Association, UPOA, representing nearly 700 probation supervisor probation officers, probation officers, probation officer trainees, and probation officer's assistants.
4:48:29
Our members are predominantly women and people of color holding bachelor's and master's degrees.
4:48:33
The New York City Department of Probation serves as an alternative to incarceration, providing critical services to the courts, including investigation reports and supervision of probation as probation officers are a vital part of the criminal justice system working to keep the community safe while giving people involved in the criminal justice system a second chance.
4:48:51
Yet despite our extensive responsibilities and educational qualifications, New York City Department of probation New York City Probation Officers are the lowest paid members in the law enforcement.
4:49:00
According to a recent report from the New York City Controller's Office, DOP has the highest attrition rate in the city at 128.6%.
4:49:08
From 2023 to December 2024, '3 hundred '60 '9 employees left the department of which our members were a hundred and three resignations, 32 retirements, and 25 terminations.
4:49:18
During the same period, only two ten people were hired but only 57 probation officers were of that 57 that was hired.
4:49:25
Meanwhile in 2023, the academy three academies were cancelled and probation officer training exams were cancelled and the class was postponed.
4:49:34
Additionally, family court has been cut by more than 40%.
4:49:37
Staffing crisis is negatively impacting both our members and public safety.
4:49:43
Instead of prioritizing the hiring of probation officer officers, this administration has reversed years of evidence based policies that supported lower caseloads and risk based supervision.
4:49:54
Now all levels of supervision, both family and adult, are being consolidated leading to dangerously high caseload.
4:50:00
Furthermore, under this administration, we are peace officers authorized to carry firearms and make a yet make arrests, yet we are not police officers.
4:50:08
However, this administration continues to push us toward a policing model while disregarding our unique role in criminal justice.
4:50:16
Please give me criminal justice system, our shields are redesigned to to resemble NYPD badges erasing our distinct identity and creating serious safety concerns for UPA members.
4:50:28
Unlike NYPD, probation officers do not receive unlimited sick leave, a twenty five year pension, a three quarter pay in the event of an injury nor are we compensated at the same level.
4:50:38
If the city insists on treating us as police officers, it must resolve our EEO case and restructure our salaries accordingly.
4:50:46
All officers are now required to carry firearms even though even those who have not handled a fire weapon in twenty years or more or more without the proper training.
4:50:56
I'm almost finished.
4:50:58
The academy, there's some points I'd like to make out.
4:51:00
The academy has been extended to five months.
4:51:03
We need more offices and we need the academy to be doubled.
4:51:07
Casos have been removed from our probation officer trainees.
4:51:10
The commissioner disbanded the court liaison unit in family court against the objection of both the UPOA and the family court judges.
4:51:17
This has resulted in delays in processing court orders, hindering case progression and affecting youth moving through the system.
4:51:24
The commissioner plans to replace those c l o's with attorneys who who will be paid more despite the fact that the UPOA members have handled this work exclusively for over fifty years.
4:51:34
Probation officers are being penalized for failing to manage excessive caseloads caused by staffing crisis.
4:51:40
Despite our prior commitments, the commissioner refused to meet with the UPO UPOA to discuss work flexibility.
4:51:47
In short, because you have the this testimony, the New York City Department of Probation is in worse shape than ever than ever ever due to the mismanagement and lack of respect for our profession.
4:51:58
Probation officers are not just alternatives to incarceration.
4:52:01
We play a vital role in rehabilitation, public safety, supporting our communities, our ability to build trust with probation clients in the course of being undermined by chronic understaffing and poor decision making.
4:52:14
The continued fight to address this issue not only harms our members but only jeopardizes public safety.
4:52:20
We urge this council to take immediate action to address the staffing crisis, restore proper funding, and recognize the essential role of probation officers in the criminal justice system.
4:52:30
I thank you and I'm available for questions.