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Spring 2014 Issue, Volume 10
Probation
Today
Santa Barbara County
Probation Department
29th Annual Probation Department
Staff Recognition Dinner
Opening remarks given by Chief Beverly A. Taylor and the Honorable Arthur A. Garcia on March 7th kicked off the
Santa Barbara County Probation Department’s 29th annual Staff Recognition Dinner at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott.
The dinner honors Probation personnel for their varied accomplishments throughout the year.
L to R: Chief Taylor, First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal, Sr. DPO Jim
Clark (recipient of a 30 year service pin), Fourth District Supervisor Peter
Adam and Second District Supervisor Janet Wolf
Los Prietos Boys Camp Color Guard start off the evening
Award recipients selected by their peers included:
Support Staff of the Year: Monica Cowger, Food Service Worker
Institutions Staff of the Year: Senior Deputy Probation Officer (Sr. DPO) Polly Armstrong, Santa
Maria Juvenile Hall
Juvenile Staff of the Year: Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) Lesli Stamm, Lompoc Juvenile
Adult Staff of the Year: Sr. DPO Fred Cobb, Santa Maria Community Resource Unit
Supervising Staff of the Year: Supervising Probation Officer (SPO) Maria Delauretis, Santa Maria
Bulldog Award: The Lompoc Office
Star Award: Administrative Office Professional Expert, Debra Anderson
Chief’s Award: Program Manager Dennis Pankratz (shown at right)
In addition to the awards, the Board of Supervisors including First District Supervisor
Salud Carbajal, Second District Supervisor Janet Wolf and Fourth District Supervisor
Peter Adam presented service pins to those employees with 20, 25 and 30 years of county
service. Probation appreciates our local officials and their support of this event throughout
the years.
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Probation Employees do their part to help raise awareness
and funds for Special Olympics of Southern California
Members of the Santa Barbara County Probation Department assisted the fundraising efforts of Special Olympics
of Southern California by participating in several Tip-a-Cop events during March, April and May and the Special
Olympics Torch Run on June 3rd and 4th. This year, the Tip-a-Cop events raised nearly $11,000.
Fifteen Probation Staff, including Chief Beverly Taylor, participated in the Torch Run on June 3rd and 4th in North
and South County, respectively. There were a record breaking number of runners this year, totaling almost 80, who
carried the “Flame of Hope” on its way to the University of Southern California, for the June 7th Special Olympics
opening ceremonies.
Submitted by SPO Lori Crestfield
Fifth Annual Juvenile Drug Court Job, Education, Health and Wellness Fair
On May 8th the Santa Barbara Juvenile Drug Court held their fifth
annual Job, Education, Health and Wellness Fair. The Fair reconnects youth with the community through exposure to a variety of
community resources. This year there were over 50 youth in attendance. Over 19 local programs, organizations, and businesses participated, including the Santa Barbara City College, the City of Santa
Barbara Youth Internship Programs, Youth Interactive, Community
Action Commission (CAC), Freedom4Youth, Casa de la Raza, Santa
Barbara YMCA, Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation, Partners in
Education, and the Workforce Investment Board.
There were several raffle prizes including two scholarships to Youth
Interactive funded by a CAC grant, and the grand prize of a new
skateboard from Skate One complete with a helmet donated by the
Bici Centro, the Bicycle Coalition. Each year the Fair expands to include more participants and planning is already underway for next year’s event.
Special thanks: DPOs Marisa Ortiz and Monica Ramos, Probation Assistants Monica Castillo and Esmeralda Cornejo,
and Community Transition Officer Neil Dreste
Submitted by SPO Erin Cross
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Local student helps honor former US poet laureate
Derek Young, a 16 year-old junior at Cabrillo High School, discovered he has a talent for poetry
and now finds himself linked to a former United States poet laureate.
Before completing his program earlier this year at Los Prietos Boys Camp, Derek wrote such impressive poetry that he was named Los Robles High School’s first poet laureate. Los Robles High
School is operated by the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) on the campus of Probation’s Los Prietos Boys Camp.
On January 25th Derek took part in a ceremony near Camp to honor the 100th birthday of the late William Stafford,
a former US poet laureate. Derek was one of several readers at the ceremony reading one of his own poems and one
of Stafford’s. The event, which was attended by more than 50 people, was part of a worldwide celebration honoring
Stafford’s life and his work.
The faculty at Los Robles began devoting more time to poetry in English classes several years ago after a number
of the youth showed an interest and talent. Since 2009, the school’s language arts department has published a book
of poetry by the students each year. In the most recent volume, “Bridges,” the youth express their struggles to cross
the bridge from boyhood to manhood.
“I’m just really impressed with the way the teachers at Los Robles High School started the poetry program and the
way they’ve grown it, and by the dedication of everyone involved. This poetry project has not only proven relevant
to the students’ lives, but it’s aligned to state curriculum standards as well,” said Mark Leufkens, the director of
SBCEO’s Juvenile Court and Community Schools. We tip our hats to the educators at Los Robles High School for
their dedication to our students and a hearty congratulations to Mr. Young.
Probation Golf Team Claims Third at the Public Works Tournament
The Probation “Golf Team” came away with a third place finish at the semi-annual Public Works Golf Tournament on
Friday, April 25th at the Glen Annie Golf Club.
The Probation team had a slow start under windy conditions. They were
even par until Fiscal Manager Michael Cameron made his birdie putt on the
sixth hole. Then the team was on fire! On the par 5 seventh hole Juvenile
SPO James Steels drove a monster tee shot, which allowed the team to
reach the green in two shots. Then Chief Innovation Officer John Kuo sank
the right to left putt for an Eagle. The team’s cheering could be heard everywhere on the golf course! The team’s momentum continued on the 14th
hole. After a beautiful cut corner tee shot by Michael, Senior Juvenile Institutions Officer Ted Homyack hit a beautiful long second shot to set up
Left to right: SPO James Steels, Chief Innovation Officer
another Eagle putt for the team.
John Kuo; Fiscal Manager Michael Cameron; Sr. JIO
The Probation team closed with a net 65 for a strong third place finish.
Ted Homyack
Submitted by Chief Innovation Officer John Kuo
Did You Know?
John McCoy, who passed in 2013, was recognized during Black History
month as the first African American Probation Officer to work for the Santa
Barbara County Probation Department. (October 1972 to April 1997)
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Tri
Tri--Counties Deputy Probation Officer Core
On May 30th, ten Deputy Probation Officers
from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties graduated from the second TriCounties DPO Core. The Tri-Counties Core is
a collaborative effort by the three counties to
bring mandated training to newly hired officers
close to their homes. Instructors from each
county volunteered to participate and have delivered two successful classes. Students completed course work and physical training over
26 days. Congratulations to our graduates who
are joining probation at a most exciting time in its
history.
Submitted by SPO
Lori Crestfield
Chief Probation Officer Jim Salio, San Luis Obispo County (1st bottom left);
Chief Probation Officer Mark Varela, Ventura County (2nd bottom left); and
Chief Beverly Taylor, Santa Barbara County (bottom far right)
Probation Officers Are Recognized By The Community
On April 17th, Sr. DPO Alejandra Ochoa (Pictured at right) was honored for her outstanding service to
the citizens of Lompoc at the Lompoc Elks Lodge Law Enforcement Appreciation Night. Officer
Ochoa has been employed by Santa Barbara County for 21 years. She is currently assigned to an
AB109 Realignment position in the Lompoc Adult unit. Her positive approach and tireless work
ethic benefits the entire team and she was well deserving of this award.
On May 29th, Sr. DPO Jeff McGarey (Pictured at left with Chief Taylor) received the
Thomas H. Guerry award for Superior Performance. Specifically, Officer
McGarey worked with multiple agencies including the District Attorney’s Office, Victim Witness, and Interstate Compact to ensure a young female victim
of human trafficking was not only kept safe, but also able to testify against her
trafficker. Though this young woman continues to struggle with the repercussions of her abuse, thanks to the work of Officer McGarey and others involved
in her case, she has a support system in place to help her through her journey.
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The World is Yours
Submitted by Probation Manager Laurie Holbrook
Never was this phrase so eloquently expressed than on the day world renowned Muralist, David Flores, came to
Los Prietos Boys Camp and in about twelve hours and with all Campers providing assistance, created this masterpiece in the Camp’s multi-purpose room. According to the artist, the mural represents “empowerment, peace and
compassion for humanity.” Mr. Flores has participated in commercial collaborations with such established companies as Disney, Oakley Sunglasses and Warner Bros. Mr. Flores was introduced to the Los Prietos Boys Camp by
Freedom4Youth founder and Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission member, Billi Jo Starr. The
mural collaboration kicked off the Freedom4Youth’s Leadership Conference, which introduced other inspirational
business and community leaders to the Campers. The mural served as a back drop to the conference as well as the
high school graduation which took place the following week. The mural will serve as a constant reminder to the
Campers that the world is truly theirs and there are people who are eagerly waiting to assist them in reaching their
goals.