Brothers and Sisters,
Chief Probation Officer Guillermo Viera Rosa announcement of his intent to “retire” has left many of us with mixed emotions—relief that he’s leaving, anger over the damage he’s done, and frustration that it’s taken this long for leadership to acknowledge what we’ve been saying all along. Click here to read LA Times story. For those of us who have endured toxic working conditions, deteriorating safety in our facilities, and the daily stress of a system that feels broken beyond repair, his departure might seem like the end of a nightmare.
But let me be clear: this is just the beginning of the fight for what we deserve.
For 20 long months, we have suffered under a leader who has failed us at every turn. Under his tenure, we have seen our facilities spiral into chaos, our safety put at risk, and our colleagues pushed out of jobs they loved. Some retired early, some went out on medical leave, and others simply walked away because they couldn’t endure the abuse any longer. Those of us who stayed—who continue to stay—have been left to pick up the pieces, often with little support and even less recognition of our sacrifice.
As your union president, I’ve heard your stories. I’ve stood with you on the front lines. And I know the toll this has taken—not just on your bodies, but on your hearts and minds. The sleepless nights, the anxiety of walking into a shift not knowing if you’ll have backup, the frustration of trying to help rehabilitate youth without the tools or support to do so. These are not just abstract problems; they are the realities we live every day.
We Were Set Up to Fail
Let’s not mince words: the blame for this crisis does not fall solely on Guillermo Viera Rosa. His departure may be necessary, but it is only the latest chapter in a decades-long pattern of failure by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (BOS). Viera Rosa is the ninth Chief Probation Officer in the last 10 years and the fifth in just the past five years. When his replacement is named, they will be the 16th chief in 27 years. This alarming turnover isn’t a reflection of individual failings; it’s a damning indictment of systemic mismanagement at the very top.
For years, the BOS has failed to provide the leadership, funding, and strategic vision necessary to stabilize and improve the department. They have ignored our warnings about unsafe staffing levels, refused to invest in meaningful programs that hold youth accountable, and continually treated the probation workforce as disposable. This revolving door of leadership reflects the BOS’s inability—or unwillingness—to address the root causes of this crisis.
The problems we face today are not the fault of the rank-and-file probation officers who continue to show up every day, risking their safety in a broken system. They are the result of years of neglect, poor planning, and a fundamental lack of accountability at the top. Until the BOS stops treating this department as an afterthought and starts making real, sustained investments in staffing, safety, and youth accountability, no Chief Probation Officer—no matter how competent or committed—will be able to succeed.
This crisis is not about one person. It’s about leadership, or rather, the lack of it from those who have the ultimate responsibility for running this department. It’s time the BOS stops blaming everyone else and starts owning their role in this ongoing failure.
And when things inevitably went wrong—when facilities failed inspections, when riots broke out, when tragedy struck—it was us, the rank-and-file officers, who were scapegoated. They blamed us for the chaos, never acknowledging that we were set up to fail by a system that has neglected us for far too long.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Reopened with great fanfare, the facility quickly descended into a nightmare. Riots, escape attempts, and staffing crises became the norm. We were left to manage these crises with little support and even less recognition. And now, with the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) demanding the relocation of over 200 youths by Dec. 12, we are once again being asked to bear the brunt of a problem we didn’t create.
Enough Is Enough
I know how demoralizing this is. I know how many of you feel abandoned, unheard, and undervalued. But I also know this: we are not powerless. As a union, we’ve been fighting for solutions that will not only protect us but also help restore the mission of this department—rehabilitation, accountability, and public safety.
In our recent white paper, we laid out clear and actionable steps to fix this system. These include:
Emergency Hiring Initiatives: We need more boots on the ground, and we need them now.
Fair Staffing Ratios: Safe staffing levels must be guaranteed—not as a suggestion, but as a contractual obligation.
Retention Strategies: Hazard pay, career pathways, and real incentives for those of us who choose to stay and serve.
Behavioral Accountability Tools: Programs like Hope Centers to ensure that youth are held accountable while still receiving the rehabilitation they need.
Support for Staff on Leave: Many of our colleagues are stuck in limbo, unable to work due to medical restrictions. They deserve better.
Accountability Tools: Introduce structured behavioral management programs, such as Hope Centers, to balance youth rehabilitation with accountability.
Immediate Reconstitution of the Governor's Probation Services Task Force: Establish this task force to develop sustainable solutions to the probation crisis in Los Angeles County, ensuring a unified, long-term strategy for staffing, oversight, and systemic reform.
These are not radical ideas; they are the bare minimum of what we need to do our jobs safely and effectively. And yet, the BOS continues to drag its feet, pouring millions into broken systems while refusing to address the root causes of this crisis.
Where We Go from Here
As Viera Rosa prepares to leave, the BOS will search for a replacement. They’ll hold meetings, make promises, and talk about “turning a new page.” But let’s be real: we’ve heard this all before. Words are not enough.
We need a leader who will fight for us, not against us. Someone who will listen to the workforce, advocate for the resources we need, and hold youth accountable while prioritizing their rehabilitation. And we need the BOS to step up and take responsibility for their role in this crisis.
Brothers and sisters, this is our moment to demand better. Better leadership, better working conditions, better support for our profession. We have the power to make our voices heard, and I promise you this: I will not stop fighting until we get what we deserve.
You have given so much to this job—to this mission. Now it’s time for the County to give something back.
Stacy Ford
President
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