Two troubled Los Angeles County juvenile halls could face closure after state regulators issued a notice of “facility unsuitability” last month.
In the Feb. 16 notice, the California Board of State and Community Corrections determined the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility and the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall both “unsuitable” citing concerns over staffing shortages and improper use-of-force training, among other issues.
Multiple inspections between August and February were conducted at both facilities. According to the notice, officials for the board found varying policy, procedure, and safety issues. The facilities also lacked recreational activities, exercise, and programs for the juveniles.
The Los Angeles County Probation Department, which runs the facilities, was warned they had until April 16 to correct the issues or face closure.
A spokesperson for the department told The Epoch Times “emergency staffing changes” are now in effect to help stop the closures.
Under a directive by probation department Interim Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa, 250 probation officers will be reassigned to the facilities, in 60-day increments, as needed.
“Our probation officers understand the challenge of adapting to shifting responsibilities. They are professionals and Peace Officers. They will continue to prioritize their time and focus on high-priority cases while leveraging resources efficiently,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Under the directive, 200 officers will be sent to Los Padrinos and 50 to Nidorf, while sworn managers—including directors and assistant directors—will be reassigned to the two facilities for at least 90 days to help bring them into compliance, the spokesperson said.
The executive board for the LA County Deputy Probation Officers’ Union said March 3 that they support the plan, urging its members to show up to work during the temporary reassignments.
“Today, we are asking you to support the department’s reassignment/deployment plan. ... Please do not call out or no-show. This will undermine the Probation Department’s ability to meet ... requirements and our union’s responsibility to protect your jobs,” they wrote in a statement.
Joining the efforts, the California Board of State and Community Corrections will also assist in a “joint labor-management approach” through a review every 30 days of operations, assessing needs at the facilities and where to reassign staff. They said better training, hiring more officers, and offering evidence-based therapeutic services to youth who are “high risk” are also part of the plan.
The probation department is the largest in the nation with around 6,600 employees, according to its website.
The department is also “actively engaged” in balancing the needs of both juvenile and adult probation programs, according to the spokesperson.
