LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta has indicted 30 Los Angeles County probation officers over fights in the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
The letter dated February 18, 2025, orders the recipients to report to court on March 3rd at 8:00 a.m. at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.
“This letter is an indictment meaning these folks are indicted and prosecuted,” said Tom Yu, a former sheriff’s deputy turned attorney who represents police officers, federal agents, prosecutors, and CCW holders in the State of California and the District of Columbia in administrative, civil, and criminal defense.
Insiders within the probation department indicate the letter is in response to a leaked video that showed probation officers and detention service officers standing around as juveniles fought in front of them.
It was reported by the Los Angeles Times, which obtained the video, that several officers stood by while at least six youths assaulted a 17-year-old inside the Downey facility in December 2023, with some officers appearing to laugh and shake hands during the fight.
The video shows a teen being punched and kicked inside the facility. The teen is also seen falling to the ground while the officers stand by without intervening.
The department announced 8 officers were placed on leave a month after the video was leaked to the public.
In May 2024, the department announced 66 probation officers were placed on leave pending disciplinary investigations.
“We are releasing this information in the spirit of greater transparency and to assure our stakeholders — especially the families of youths in our juvenile facilities — that we will not tolerate anything that impedes our mission to provide a safe, nurturing and structured environment for those entrusted to our care,” said Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa.
Of the 66 officers placed on leave, 39 were for issues of general misconduct, which includes suspected use of excessive force, child endangerment or abuse, possession of contraband, and negligent supervision.
In addition, 18 were put on leave for suspected sexual misconduct and nine for arrests unrelated to employment.
The number of those placed on leave for general misconduct includes 14 officers — two more than previously announced — related to youth-on-youth violence at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. These cases are now under investigation by the California Attorney General, who is handling the matter while the Probation Department restructures its Internal Affairs Unit.
Over 700 probation officers have been reportedly removed from field operations supervising high-risk offenders to staff juvenile hall after officers were reportedly in fear for their safety and retaliation while performing their duties.
Probation officials claim the loss of 750 officers from their field offices is creating frustration, long court delays, and a lack of oversight for thousands of convicted criminals in the region.
Roughly 250 of the officers were temporarily reassigned to the halls despite the state ordering the facility to shut down last December. Simultaneously, the Probation Department sent home approximately 500 other field officers who could not work in the juvenile halls due to medical restrictions, though it would have been possible for them to perform the office work they did previously, according to the Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officers Union.
The department is now seeking mutual aid from law enforcement agencies due to their struggle to monitor high-risk offenders due to staff either being mandated to report to Los Padrinos or being taken off the job due to medical restrictions.
Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa sent out a request for mutual aid in late December asking for the Sheriff’s Department and the county’s more than 45 municipal police departments to use their officers and equipment to conduct “compliance checks” on probationers over the next year.
“This crisis has created an unsafe environment for juveniles, probation staff, educators, medical personnel, and community organizations, increasing the risk to public safety,” he wrote. “To address this, the Chief Probation Officer has redirected all field probation officers to juvenile institutions to ensure adequate staffing. However, this move creates a significant void in the supervision of high-risk probationers, including those convicted of sexual assault, domestic violence, gang-related crimes, and other offenses.”
The union that represents probation officers has agreed that staffing at the halls is critical, however, they don’t agree with officers being penalized after becoming injured while on the job.
“We agree that the critical issue is sustainable, consistent staffing for juvenile operations at Los Padrinos. The Union recognizes the need for immediate emergency measures to maintain compliance, save jobs, and protect the earned income and benefits that our members rely on to support their families. Our members are dedicated professionals who have built careers in juvenile rehabilitation and public safety field supervision, and we understand the stakes. This is about ensuring the safety of youth and officers in Probation facilities, providing critical field supervision to protect our communities, and delivering on our mission to support rehabilitation while safeguarding the workforce that makes it possible. We must work together to keep Los Padrinos open,” Executive Board, L.A. County Deputy Probation Officers Union, AFSCME Local 685.
The probation department was in court Feb. 14 for another hearing to determine the fate of its juvenile hall which was delayed until April 18.
Judge Miguel Espinoza delayed his decision while he waits for the conclusion of two pending reviews by state regulators that could impact his decision.