To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: Add one Probation Manager in the Probation Department
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26647 to add one (1) Probation Manager (7AGB) (unrepresented) position at salary plan and grade B25 1899 ($12,129 - $14,743) in the Probation Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The purpose of the request is to add a Probation Manager position due to the upcoming retirement of the current incumbent to preserve and transfer institutional knowledge within the position. The request is to add the position effective the day following approval, to allow the recruitment and selection process to move forward. The one-time fiscal impact of the requested positions overlap may result in a total salary and benefit cost increase impact of up to $109,747. The Department anticipates an approximate four-month overlap, and it will take at least a month to select a candidate and fill the position. A future action will be submitted to cancel the current Probation Manager’s position once a final retirement date is known, which is anticipated for early 2027. It is not the intention of the Department to permanently increase positional authority in the Probation Manager classification, as both actions will ultimately result in a neutral position change. The cost impact will be offset by salary and benefit cost savings from the Department’s existing vacancies, which are funded by the Department’s budgeted General Fund allocation.
BACKGROUND:
The mission of the Probation Department is an unwavering commitment to justice, even in the face of adversity, an ethical application of the law, and a proven approach to rehabilitation. The Probation Department employees are a talented team of professionals who work collaboratively to create opportunities for those served. Through compassionate trauma informed supervision, the application of evidenced based practices, and robust community partnerships, clients experience positive outcomes that strengthen the individual, improve communities, and increase public safety within the county and beyond. To maintain mandated functions, keep up with the increasing number of legislative changes, and comply with funding obligations, the Probation Department must maintain necessary staffing levels and institutional knowledge.
Currently the Department has eleven sworn Probation Managers, with one retirement planned for late 2026/early 2027. These positions, including the known retirement, are key management positions within the Department. More specifically, an incumbent in the classification that is dedicated to overseeing day-to-day operations of Juvenile Hall, will be retiring from the Department.
Broadly, the Probation Department is experiencing two imminent retirements in two classifications and positions directly responsible for Juvenile Hall operations. The Board of Supervisors previously considered and approved Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26640 for the Probation Department to add a Probation Director position to ensure continuity of operations and cross training pending the incumbent in this role’s retirement. The incumbent in the Probation Manager position assigned to Juvenile Hall Operations will also be retiring, leaving a substantial gap in both the management level and executive level leadership responsible for Juvenile Hall Operations. Under the general direction of a Probation Director, a Probation Manager position directly oversees the operational functions of the Juvenile Hall, one of the Probation Department's highest-risk and most highly regulated functions. This oversight requires management level leadership with specialized knowledge of juvenile detention operations, statutory requirements, and the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Title 15 Minimum Standards for Juvenile Facilities to provide guidance to the Probation Director as well as effectively manage regulatory changes within the facility.
Working in concert with the Probation Director, the Probation Manager responsible for Juvenile Hall Operations is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility and directly monitors compliance with state regulations regarding safety, security, care, and treatment of youth in custody in partnership with two other Probation Managers overseeing rehabilitative programming/treatment and the Department’s Briones Youth Academy programs. The Operations Manager implements corrective action plans, reviews and provides guidance on policies, is responsible for staff training and onboarding schedules, serves as the Department’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) coordinator, and is responsible for overall facility safety in concert with the Department’s Safety Coordinator and County Risk Management while also providing administrative direction to supervisor and line staff members. Given the significant legal, operational, and financial liability associated with the management operations of a secure juvenile detention facility, continuity of experienced management level leadership is also essential to minimizing organizational risk and maintaining public confidence.
Alongside the recent approved request in the Probation Director classifications, the Probation Department is also requesting an overlap period between the outgoing probation manager and a newly appointed/hired manager. This would support an orderly transition of leadership and continuity of critical Juvenile Hall operations. A key component in the Department’s succession planning strategy, these overlaps reflect a proactive approach to leadership continuity, minimizing downtime and learning curves while maximizing institutional knowledge retention. This institutional knowledge includes the history of regulatory inspections, operational practices, personnel and labor matters, budget and contractual responsibilities, emergency protocols, litigation and risk-management issues, and established relationships with various partners and stakeholders; elements that cannot fully be captured through a review written policies and procedures alone.
As noted above, the fiscal impact associated with the temporary overlap of the Probation Manager positions can be fully absorbed within the Department’s existing operating budget and does not require additional County General Fund appropriations. The limited, short-term increase in personnel costs is a prudent investment in organizational continuity, risk mitigation, and provides significant value to the County and the Department. This overlap will reduce the risk of operational disruption during the transition, strengthen the Department's ability to maintain compliance with applicable requirements, and provide a sustainable management structure for one of the County's most complex and highly scrutinized public safety functions.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the loss of a Probation Manager without an appropriate transfer may result in the loss of critical institutional knowledge necessary for the effective administration of the County's Juvenile Hall. This loss is increased when considering the Department is also experiencing retirement in the Probation Director classification overseeing all Juvenile Hall. Due to the unique responsibilities of operating a Juvenile Hall, even if a current incumbent in either classification transition to these roles a significant learning period cost will be incurred. Without a structured leadership transition, the Department faces an increased risk of operational disruption, diminished continuity of executive oversight, and reduced capacity to effectively navigate the complex regulatory requirements established by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Title 15 Minimum Standards for Juvenile Facilities. Given the significant legal, operational, and fiscal liability associated with the management of a secure juvenile detention facility, the absence of an intentional succession planning process may increase the County's exposure to regulatory deficiencies, adverse inspection findings, corrective actions, litigation, and other avoidable risks. The Department would forgo the opportunity to preserve decades of institutional knowledge and executive experience, potentially impacting on the Department's ability to maintain uninterrupted operations, sustain collaborative partnerships, and ensure the continued delivery of safe, secure, and legally compliant services for youth in custody.