Here's your Video of the Rally From Jax TV 12

[DC Consultant (Ret)]

If you do get the video of the Rally they interview a few Officers. A pictures worth a 1000's words only a few Officers. This was not widely covered in the Media.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/...ding/25787145/


DOC probation officers fight for funding


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- When probation officers visit felons, they go without notice. But, in Tallahassee Tuesday, they made sure lawmakers heard their voices.

As exposed by our sister station WTSP 10 News, penny pinching within the Florida Department of Corrections is leading to inadequate monitoring of former felons on court-ordered supervision. Deborah Lambert traveled to Tallahassee with fellow probation officers to demand change.


•Probation officers rally after 10 News stories

"Help us, fund us," she said. "The underfunding has really affected us as far as our staffing. It's affected our safety. It has affected the public's safety."

As the officers will tell you, the situation is dire.


•Fixes not quick for Florida's probation problems

Christina Bullins, a former probation officer, has busted former felons with drugs, guns and pages of social security numbers. These are the people among you in the community.

"The legislature has a duty to fund probation," Bullins said. "Over 50 percent of the offenders on supervision under the Department of Corrections are on for either murder, a sex offense, a robbery or a violent crime."

The officers are dealing with and sharing broken down vehicles. Less than half carry weapons that the department does not provide. They're dealing with too many case loads and have only gotten one raise in eight years, according to the Teamsters union.


•Probation officer training funds not dedicated to training

First Coast News asked lawmakers what they're doing to fix the problem.

"They need to not be ignored, not be treated as the proverbial red headed step child. And, that's what's happening right now and that's wrong," said Rep. Dwight Dudley (D-St. Petersburg).

"We're going to increase the budget for the Senate I believe, but we also have that oversight, that statewide oversight," said Sen. President Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando).


•DOC admits probation problems; lawmakers work on fix

[Unregistered]

The legislature only cares about money being steered to their causes and that is why PBA has been getting extra raises and not the Teamsters. The Teamsters aren't putting the money where it needs to go to get the support of the ones that control the purse strings.

[Unregistered]

No, they are trying to help the Corrections Officers. They could give a shit about the probation social workers.

[Unregistered]

Thank you to all the PO's who went to tally on our behalf!