Dear Adult Probation Officer,

I am pleased to inform you that significant progress was made by the Labor-Management Committee on Adult Probation Officer’s issues at a meeting held this morning. As I previously reported, ASEA requested and the State agreed to establish a Labor-Management Committee to address three issues that officers have identified as important in the performance of their duties. The issues identified were: 1) Outer wear vests to be worn by the Adult Probation Officers while on official duty; 2) Outer jacket or windbreaker that will clearly identify them as Probation Officers on official duty; and 3) Protocols that relate to Article 22.05, Standby.

ASEA's Labor and Management team reports that agreement was reached this morning on outer vests and outer jackets.

1. Outer Vests: Commissioner Schmidt has agreed to allow Adult Probation Officers to wear outer wear vests in the course of performing their duties as long as those vests are covered at all times. It is anticipated that a revised policy on this issue will be issued next week. The key to the Commissioner's willingness to change the current policy was the commitment by the ASEA team to stress to each and every officer that they must keep the vests covered at all times. This means that each and every officer not only has the obligation to keep themselves covered, but also has the obligation to self-police to make sure that everyone that chooses to wear an outer wear vest keeps the vest covered at all times.

2. Outer Jacket: Adult Probation is in the process of ordering outer wear jackets that will permit officers to clearly identify themselves as Probation Officers when necessary. The jackets the State is ordering are 511 Tacticals in a 3 in 1, 4 in 1, or 5 in 1 style. The State believed it had already communicated with officers about the style and size each officer wanted, but several of the members of the ASEA team indicated that they had never been contacted. Therefore, the State is going to have supervisors check with each and every officer to make sure the style and size the State has already recorded is what each officer wants. Please make sure to let your supervisor know what style and size you want if you have not already done so.

3. Standby Protocols: ASEA and the State have agreed to continue meeting to collaboratively establish protocols relating to which calls officers have to respond to while they are on standby. The three Field Probation Officers that are members of the ASEA team (Conrad Brown, Olga Guerra, and Andrea Kuckertz) have agreed to collect suggestions from fellow officers on what the protocols should look like. These suggestions are to be compiled and submitted to the State by June 23, 2008. A follow-up meeting will then be held with the State in early July to flesh out a draft policy that will then be circulated for review and comment by officers across the State.

Please join me in expressing my appreciation to the ASEA team (Conrad Brown, Olga Guerra, Andrea Kuckertz, Chris Lyou & business agent Doug Carson), the State team (Kevin Brew, Rebecca Brunger, Keith Thayer, and Deputy Director of Personnel Diane Kiesel) and Commissioner Joe Schmidt for his willingness to work with ASEA to resolve these issues.

We will keep you informed of the progress of the Labor-Management Committee as they further address the issue of standby protocols.

Jim Duncan
Business Manager
ASEA/AFSCME Local 52