The Los Angeles County Probation Department is struggling to retain new hires despite aggressive recruitment efforts. As of last week, the department reported a 36% vacancy rate in its sworn positions, with only 2,408 of the 3,752 budgeted roles filled. This vacancy rate has doubled since 2022, even after the county lifted a hiring freeze and launched extensive recruitment campaigns featuring advertisements on billboards, bus stops, and job fairs.
According to the Daily News, nearly 70% of new hires in 2024 and 2025 left the agency within their first year after completing the academy. This high turnover is compounded by financial constraints affecting other public safety departments in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, for instance, is also facing recruitment and retention challenges due to economic pressures, including a proposed 0% cost of living adjustment for county unions.
The probation department's staffing issues are exacerbated by ongoing problems in the county's juvenile halls. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has called for a court-appointed official to take control of these facilities, citing years of violence, drug overdoses, and abuse. Bonta's request comes after the county failed to meet the terms of a 2021 settlement aimed at improving conditions for youth.
The probation department's high vacancy rate and the challenges in juvenile halls highlight the broader staffing crisis facing Los Angeles County's public safety departments. A hearing on Bonta's motion for receivership is scheduled for August 15, which may bring further changes to the management of the county's juvenile facilities.