Board proclaims July 2025 Probation Services Week; community members and partners praise local probation work

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on July 22 adopted a proclamation designating July 2025 as Probation Services Week, honoring the county Probation Department's role in public safety and rehabilitation.

Vice Chair Rasmussen read the proclamation, which highlights probation’s work supporting courts, victims, behavioral health providers and the community at large. Chief Deputy Probation Officer and county partners accepted the proclamation and noted recent on-the-job risks: speakers recalled national incidents in July in which a parole and a deputy probation officer were seriously injured and killed, and they urged attention to staff safety.

Local behavioral-health and justice-system partners also praised the department’s collaborative approach. Lake County Behavioral Health Director Alise Jones said co-locating services and informal cross-agency coordination improved outcomes by making it easier for probation officers and providers to connect clients with behavioral-health supports. Several people with lived experience credited probation staff with creating pathways off the street: a program participant who served time described how a probation officer helped him obtain a driver’s license, job, and tattoo removal to aid reentry.

Supervisors commended probation staff and partner agencies for their work and pointed to county initiatives linking courts, behavioral health, and social services as models for reducing recidivism.

Ending: The board adopted the proclamation and joined partners in urging continued interagency cooperation and support for probation staff and the people they supervise.