In apparent reversal, LA County probation chief says he isn’t stepping down

Los Angeles County’s chief probation officer will remain in his job after initially communicating to the Board of Supervisors last week that he intended to step down in the coming weeks, a Probation Department spokesperson said Wednesday.

It is unclear why Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa changed course. The department announced his decision to stay late Tuesday, after the supervisors met with the probation chief in closed session.

Staying on

Viera Rosa gave notice in an email to the Board of Supervisors last week that he would be leaving by the end of the year, a spokesperson for Supervisor Janice Hahn confirmed Monday.

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But Probation Department spokesperson Vicky Waters told LAist Wednesday that the decision to leave was not final. Waters said that upon further consideration and discussion with the Board of Supervisors, Viera Rosa decided to stay.

Waters did not answer questions as to what, specifically, Viera Rosa discussed with supervisors.

“We face significant challenges, but I believe we are building a strong foundation, and there is more to be done,” Viera Rosa said in a statement. “I remain fully committed to working with my staff, partners, County and State leaders to ensure we turn the tide on challenges the department has faced.”

The backstory

The situation comes as the department faces a Dec. 12 deadline to move more than 200 incarcerated youths out of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, where a state board found insufficient staffing. The Probation Department runs the county’s juvenile halls.

Twice this year, a state board deemed Los Padrinos unsuitable to house youths. The facility houses more than 200 youths who have come in contact with the criminal justice system.

The Probation Department avoided having to shut down Los Padrinos in April after the Board of State and Community Corrections determined the county met minimum requirements on staffing levels and safety checks.

But in an Oct. 14 letter to Viera Rosa, the board said further inspections revealed Los Padrinos was out of compliance on staffing again.

“The continued lack of staffing continues to negatively impact delivery of required services and compliance with additional regulations, including education, outdoor recreation, youth being confined in rooms, and youth missing medical appointments,” the board’s letter states.

What's next?

A spokesperson with Board of State and Community Corrections said in an email to LAist that a re-inspection of Los Padrinos began last week. The spokesperson said the department has made “positive changes” at Los Padrinos but the facility was still out of compliance with staffing requirements as of Monday.