Dear Sisters and Brothers,
On Friday, February 16, 2024, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) issued its Notice of Facility Unsuitability for Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall (LPJH) and BJN Secure Youth Treatment Facility (BJN-SYTF) to the Probation Department. On Feb. 29, your Executive Board met with Chief Rosas and his executive team.
We were informed that Chief Rosas does not plan to close any facilities and there is no plan for layoffs. Further, we were advised that there is no plan to transfer the youth out of LPJH or the 707(b) post-adjudicated high-risk population out of BJN-SYTF to other facilities. The Chief explained to the Executive Board that the current placement and location of the juveniles in the institutions is the safest place for them to continue to receive care, services, protection, and rehabilitation.
Chief Rosa’s Reassignment/Deployment Plan to Satisfy BSCC Title 15 Requirements
This is a crisis of the County’s making by chronic understaffing, lack of training, and unsuitable facilities. Nevertheless, it is a crisis and it puts the future of the Department – and our jobs – in serious jeopardy. The County must comply with the BSCC’s Title 15 staffing requirements.
Therefore, we support Chief Rosas’ “all-hands-on-deck” from “the top-to-the bottom” reassignment/deployment of staff to LPJH and BJN-SYTF for the next 60 days, including:
Bureau directors
Superintendents
Directors and assistant directors
Special assignment staff
Special task force staff
Special assistants
Program staff
Rank-and-file Field and RTSB staff
Chief Rosas has assured us that the mandatory reassignments/deployments of staff will be fair and equitable. Chief Rosas has agreed that the reassignments/deployments will be in 60-day increments, followed by rotations of groups of 50 staff to BJN-SYTF and 200 staff to LPJH, as operationally necessary.
Chief Rosas assured your Executive Board that he is committed to ensuring the long-term success of meeting all BSCC suitability requirements, including enhancing safety checks, use of force training, conducting searches of units, ensuring education, training, recreation, and exercise for the juvenile population. Chief Rosas’ plan, as described to us, also includes changes to hire more officers, institute better training, and provide for professionalizing juvenile staff with career pathways to provide care-first, evidence-based therapeutic services to high-risk youth while strengthening community engagement.
Joint-Collaborative Labor-Management Effort – We need your help to achieve compliance!
In order to best represent Local 685 Members during this crisis, your Executive Board has secured a joint labor-management approach with Chief Rosas. Together we will conduct an ongoing 30-day operational assessment review for the need to reassign/deploy staff and to address the operational impacts on other services the department provides.
Your Executive Board honors your dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to your professionalism in performing high-risk assignments in the institutions. Today, we are asking you to support the Department’s reassignment/deployment plan to remediate the BSCC’s finding of unsuitability for LPJH and BJN-SYTF.
Please do not call out or no-show. This will undermine the Probation Department’s ability to meet BSSC requirements and our Union’s responsibility to protect your jobs. We are stronger as a Union when we work together in unity.
During the next several weeks, your Executive Board will be communicating with you to provide regular updates regarding the Department’s plan and to address your concerns.
In Solidarity Forever. Help Protect our Jobs!
Sincerely,
Your Executive Board