Hennepin County to cut 16 probation officers

Hennepin County will cut 16 full-time probation officer positions for the rest of the current fiscal year and for 2003, Hennepin County adult probation officers were told Friday. Union representatives said the job losses could endanger public safety.

Patrick Guernsey, president of AFSCME Local 552, which represents the 331 probation, parole and family couservices officers in Hennepin County, said the cuts will include both fugitive apprehension probation officers and at least one sex offender probation officer. Four probation officer positions in the Adult Restitution Office are also slated to be eliminated.

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“County Officials are truly kidding themselves if they believe that the public can be adequately protected if the probation department provides no fugitive apprehension services,” Guernsey said. Currently two Hennepin County Probation Officers actively seek and apprehend probation and parole violators. Working in cooperation with multiple law enforcement agencies, The Fugitive Apprehension Program is credited with apprehending hundreds of probation and parole violators every year.

“The loss of this program is really frightening, especially for the victims of domestic violence,” Guernsey said. The fugitive apprehension team frequently and quickly brings offenders into custody when violations occur, he said.

Dennis Avery, director of Adult Field Services, told approximately 100 probation officers assembled for the budget presentation that the decision to eliminate Fugitive Apprehension was the decision of outgoing Department Director Jan Smaby.

The Probation Restitution Unit, which last year was responsible for collecting over $2.4 million dollars in restitutions for the victims of crime, is being eliminated. Restitutions services will likely be contracted out to a private vendor.

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Guernsey said he believes it will be difficult to eliminate all of these positions without laying off probation officers. In addition to the 16 full-time positions being eliminated, the equivalent of 8.3 positions will also be cut by the department laying off all part-time intermittent staff.

Probation services cost taxpayers about 1/100th of what incarceration costs and have a much higher rate of rehabilitation. Currently more than 35,000 individuals in Hennepin County and more than 115,000 statewide are on probation or parole.

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