The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors formally honored the more than 6,000 employees who work for the county Probation Department during the board’s public meeting Tuesday in Downtown Los Angeles.

First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis presented Chief Probation Officer Terri L. McDonald with a county scroll proclaiming July 21-27 “Probation Services Week,” honoring the men and women who diligently and faithfully serve the County of Los Angeles as Probation employees.

“This is your week and we’re celebrating probation departments around the country, but more importantly right here in Los Angeles County,” Solis said. “I know your work is very timely and not easy. The County Board of Supervisors is very interested in helping to make this Department stellar, making it the best that it can be, making it a shining symbol for people to respect and want to come and work for because they understand that you do change lives.”

July 21-27, 2019 is “National Pretrial, Probation, and Parole and Community Supervision Week,” when Americans are encouraged to recognize the work that probation, parole, and community supervision professionals do for our public safety. This year’s theme is “Restoring Trust, Creating Hope,” a Probation Department concept that Chief McDonald emphasized to the Board.

“The men and women in the Probation Department dedicate themselves every day to keeping our communities safe and improving the lives of the clients and families under our care,” McDonald said. “I am extremely proud of them and the contribution each and every one of them makes to L.A. County.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom also acknowledged July 21-27 as Probation Services Week to “recognize the integral role that probation professionals play in delivering direct services to clients and by connecting stakeholders at all levels including the courts, state and local law enforcement agencies, county behavioral health departments, child welfare services, offices of education and workforce development, as well as victims’ rights organizations and community-based agencies.”

Los Angeles County Office of Education Superintendent Debra Duardo joined the Los Angeles County Board of Education in recognizing Probation Services week as well. LACOE is a vital partner with Probation, operating the schools in the Department’s halls and camps.

“Together we serve some of the most vulnerable students in L.A. County,” Duardo said, highlighting LACOE’s partnership with the Probation. “It’s really been a pleasure to collaborate with the Los Angeles Probation Department. We are so appreciative of Probation and the hard work we do to serve the youth in Probation facilities.”

The Los Angeles County Probation Department is the largest probation services agency in the United States. It supervises approximately 100,000 adults and juveniles currently on probation, places over 1,500 youth in out-of-home care, sponsors one of the largest college programs in a residential juvenile justice setting, and commits over $32 million to adult re-entry programs to lower recidivism rates.