Juvenile Probation Officer

[geoint]

Hey guys,

I was looking at job openings with Riverside County and I saw that they have openings for part-time and full-time Probation Officers at their Juvenile detention centers.

I always wanted to be a cop but I make too much money these days to give it up entirely. However, I might be interested in a part time job and according to the listing it's a full LEO type position (assuming I read everything correctly).

Has anyone ever done this or anything like it? I'm imagining babysitting wannabe cholos all day with occasional fights to break up or escorting kids to court but I wanted to see if that's at all accurate from people who would know more.

[RickD427]

Hey guys,

I was looking at job openings with Riverside County and I saw that they have openings for part-time and full-time Probation Officers at their Juvenile detention centers.

I always wanted to be a cop but I make too much money these days to give it up entirely. However, I might be interested in a part time job and according to the listing it's a full LEO type position (assuming I read everything correctly).

Has anyone ever done this or anything like it? I'm imagining babysitting wannabe cholos all day with occasional fights to break up or escorting kids to court but I wanted to see if that's at all accurate from people who would know more.

The work of a Probation Officer (and particularly a Juvenile PO) is quite a bit different from that of a street cop. IMHO, the Probation Officer has the more difficult job.

The street cop is looking to insert folks with criminal propensities into the criminal justice system. The Probation Officer is seeking to get them to exit the system, and to remove/reduce their level of criminal propensities. That's a whole different skill set. Folks with analytical and intuitive skills probably do better at the street cop line of work. Folks with exceptional interpersonal skills excel at the probation side.

You may want to look at becoming a reserve deputy sheriff/police officer. California has four different levels of reserve qualification. Once you reach the highest level, you have 24/7 peace officer status and can laterally move into a full time position.

[geoint]

I don't have time to do a 6 month POST academy so I don't think the reserve deputy thing is for me. But I appreciate the info on Probation Officers.

[GizmoSD]

[W/M918V]

Reserve Academy are usually 3 nights a week and all day Saturday or/and Sunday. Level 3, it will take you 3 months, level 2 add another 3 months and level 1 cream of the crop add another 6 months. Once you reach level 1 status, you have completed the same hours if not more as full time academy. As a level 1, you can lateral over to any agency.
People usually stop at level 2 due to getting burnt out. A small percentage will join level 1 modular academy at another time. If you are a level 1 and pass field training (same hours as the regulars) then you're appointed R124 status which is full peace powers 24/7. Otherwise, without the R124 status you only have peace powers while only on duty and must have a CCW permit to carry off duty. However, under LEOSA, reserve officers/deputy should be exempt needing a CCW permit.

Please chime in if my info is not accurate.

[RickD427]

Reserve Academy are usually 3 nights a week and all day Saturday or/and Sunday. Level 3, it will take you 3 months, level 2 add another 3 months and level 1 cream of the crop add another 6 months. Once you reach level 1 status, you have completed the same hours if not more as full time academy. As a level 1, you can lateral over to any agency.
People usually stop at level 2 due to getting burnt out. A small percentage will join level 1 modular academy at another time. If you are a level 1 and pass field training (same hours as the regulars) then you're appointed R124 status which is full peace powers 24/7. Otherwise, without the R124 status you only have peace powers while only on duty and must have a CCW permit to carry off duty. However, under LEOSA, reserve officers/deputy should be exempt needing a CCW permit.

Please chime in if my info is not accurate.

Pretty good summary, although the training varies by agency. Most have gone to the modular system to better meet the needs of their reserve personnel.

The only thing that I would change is that there are two different "Flavors" of a Level I Reserve. A Level I (Non-Designated) is effectively trained to the same level as a full-time officer. They can provide the full range of law-enforcement services, but are appointed under PC 830.6 and only have peace officer status on duty. I qualify their training with the word "effectively" because since the training is provided in an extended manner, it doesn't necessarily correspond to the full-time academy.

A Level I (Designated) must meet all of the POST training standards required by PC 832.3 and are appointed under PC 830.1 giving them 24/7 peace officer status. Please note the absence of any requirement in PC 830.1 for the officer to be employed "Full-Time."

You make a very good, and accurate, point concerning the LEOSA. The LEOSA does not require that an officer be employed "Full-Time" in order to be covered. It's important to note that the California statutes concerning reserve officers and CCW pre-dated the LEOSA and have not been changed to reflect LEOSA. But as a practical matter, I would strongly recommend that reserve officers comply with the state statutes, as a violation of them would likely end their reserve status.

There is also a basis to argue that reserve officers appointed under PC 830.6 do not fall under LEOSA when off-duty. To my knowledge, the argument has not yet been tested in court, but it goes like this. The be covered by LEOSA, one must possess statutory powers of arrest as a "law enforcement officer." Since PC 830.6 LEOs do not possess those powers when off-duty, they do not meet the LEOSA definition of a "Qualified Law Enforcement Officer" when off-duty and therefore are not covered.

[NaClAddict]

They’re full on savages. Friend’s have ptsd from having to wage life or death fights with kids who are more ruthless than adults because they know the guard’s human instinct is contradictory to harming children. I’d rather be a jail sheriff.

[CaptMike]

22 years working juvenile Probation. The job has really changed in the last few years due to all the changes to state law in regards to juveniles. One change is that juvenile halls are now mandated to house up to 25 year Olds and placing youth in rooms when they act out is a no go. Needless to say that the violence has skyrocketed in the juvenile halls around the state. If I were you, I would really look in to being a reserve police officer or even join a search and rescue team, some of those positions are peace officers and may only require a level 2 post course.

You are welcome to private message me any questions you may have.

Good luck.

[dtl1986]

I work for CDCR Juvenile side, which I wouldn't think is that much different than juvenile probation. Yes, you spend a good amount of time babysitting the wards and you'll need a lot of patience and de-escalation skills dealing with these guys. They're not just violent amongst each other, but also with staff. Staff assaults are quite common.

[donutboi]

First, they are not kids anymore. Thanks to the democrats, most kids in juvenile hall these days are range from 18-25. Second, they have more rights than us. Third, impossible to hold them accountable these days. They run the place, not you.

[SharedShots]

OP, give some deep thought into why you want to be a cop past childhood dreams. Before you go down that road, really think it through because unlike other jobs, its more of a calling if you want to be the best rather than just something you do. If you decide to go that route, being the best at it as opposed to just saying you are one is rather important.

From your comments and pre-conceptions, you might consider doing some more research of the field and see if you are a good fit. There are a lot of different jobs with peace officer qualifications/requirements.

Being able to carry concealed is not a good reason to get into LE on the peace officer side of things although there are enough who do just that plus some yeah I'm the man ego thing.

LE in peace officer classifications requires a lot of dedication and personal sacrifice, not just in the qualification efforts but on-going when it comes to time, perseverance, a willingness to maintain objectivity in the face of adversity and probably as important, the realization that it's really not all about you, it's something much bigger than that. If you have a family or someone else in your life, it's going to affect them as well, again, its more than just about you.

It is not and should never be a hobby nor undertaken to support one. In those jobs you will affect the lives of many people you'll contact, when you forget that or never consider it in the first place, it's probably the last thing you should do.

LE needs good, dedicated people. If you are that, I recommend you go forward in pursuit with maximum effort and not just something to do.












.

[PeteH]

There is also a basis to argue that reserve officers appointed under PC 830.6 do not fall under LEOSA when off-duty. To my knowledge, the argument has not yet been tested in court, but it goes like this. The be covered by LEOSA, one must possess statutory powers of arrest as a "law enforcement officer." Since PC 830.6 LEOs do not possess those powers when off-duty, they do not meet the LEOSA definition of a "Qualified Law Enforcement Officer" when off-duty and therefore are not covered.

Actually https://crpoa.org/wp-content/uploads...pdate-2018.pdf

[RickD427]

Actually https://crpoa.org/wp-content/uploads...pdate-2018.pdf

Pete,

The CRPOA document that you cited to doesn't change anything in the debate. All it does is to give a very good, and reasoned, argument as to why PC 830.6 Reserve Officers should be covered by the LEOSA.

But the opinions of the CRPOA don't amount to law, and their document is devoid of any case citations that directly address the question. Specifically, look at pages 37-40 of the CPROA document. The authors really struggle to argue why PC 830.6 Reserve Officers should be considered as having "Powers of Arrest" at all times. But what is missing on those pages is any kind of published case law, or statutory law, that says so. In fact, the statutes specifically state otherwise.

It's still an unsettled area of the law.

[bigb0886]

[19K]

Not a probation officer but my friend spent some time in juvenile hall. Definitely not a wannabe cholo. He got jumped, stabbed in the head (needed staples), took out a screw driver and stabbed 3 of them of the other gangmembers. He was like 15 at the time. Spent about 6 months locked up. He’s since “left” gang life but still claims the gang when he sees someone sizing him up.