Move Aims to Address Allegations of Official Misconduct During Probe
The LA County Probation Department has taken action against 66 sworn probation officers since January 1, placing them on administrative leave pending internal affairs investigations into allegations of official misconduct, including incidents at county juvenile facilities. In July of 2023, a supervising deputy probation officer was charged with felony assault for an incident that took place at Camp Kilpatrick in Malibu.
Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa emphasized the importance of transparency in addressing these issues and rebuilding public trust in the nation’s largest probation agency. “We are releasing this information in the spirit of greater transparency and to assure our stakeholders — especially the families of youths in our juvenile facilities — that we will not tolerate anything that impedes our mission to provide a safe, nurturing, and structured environment for those entrusted to our care.”
The officers placed on leave were assigned to both adult and juvenile operations within the Department.
Of the 66 officers, 39 were placed on leave due to issues of general misconduct, which encompass suspected use of excessive force, child endangerment or abuse, possession of contraband, and negligent supervision. Additionally, 18 officers were put on leave for suspected sexual misconduct and nine for arrests unrelated to employment.
The Department disclosed that among those placed on leave for general misconduct, 14 officers — two more than previously announced — are linked to incidents of youth-on-youth violence at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. These cases are now under investigation by the California Attorney General, with the Probation Department restructuring its Internal Affairs Unit in response.
Chief Viera Rosa stressed that the actions taken reflect a minority within the Department’s nearly 2,800 sworn personnel. “It is out of respect for the majority of our officers, who perform their duties each day with integrity, that we moved quickly on these cases,” he stated. “We will not tolerate anything that is an affront to our mission and a disgrace to the important work we do.”
