BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN

From President Eddie Chism

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today, a Los Angeles County judge has temporarily blocked Attorney General Rob Bonta’s attempt to take over the County’s juvenile halls.

Let me be clear: this ruling is a wake-up call — and an opportunity. The courts just told Sacramento and the County what we’ve been saying all along: you can’t fix juvenile probation by sidelining the people who actually do the work.

For years, the Board of Supervisors and the Attorney General have pointed fingers, issued press releases, and launched investigations — while ignoring the dedicated professionals who have kept these institutions standing through chaos. We are the ones who protect the youth, the victims, and the community every single day.

This ruling gives the Board of Supervisors a chance to finally do what they should have done years ago: sit down with us and rebuild juvenile probation from the ground up — together.

Our mission has always been rehabilitation, accountability, and public safety. But we can’t achieve that while being vilified or shut out of the decision-making process. We know what works because we’ve lived it. We’ve been the ones inside those halls, keeping peace when leadership fell apart, mentoring kids when programs were cut, and standing tall when others ran for cover.

This is our moment to stand up and demand real change — not more politics, not more blame. The judge’s ruling has given Los Angeles County a second chance. Let’s make sure our leaders don’t waste it.

We are ready to work. We are ready to rebuild. And we are ready to fight for the future of juvenile probation.

Stay strong. Stay proud. Stay union.

In solidarity,

Eddie Chism

President, AFSCME Local 685