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…