As we recognize Probation Services Week 2026, I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all the probation professionals serving communities across California every day.

Probation is a profession built on balance, balancing accountability with compassion, structure with support, and enforcement with opportunity for change. It is work that often happens behind the scenes, yet its impact is seen every day in safer communities, stronger families, and individuals finding pathways toward lasting change.

This year, we celebrate not only the important work you do, but also the resilience, adaptability, and dedication that continue to define our field. California probation departments face increasingly complex challenges, evolving community needs, and growing expectations. Through it all, you continue to meet those challenges with professionalism, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to safety and service.

Whether supervising individuals in the community, supporting youth and families, connecting people to treatment and resources, responding to crises, or partnering with courts, law enforcement, schools, behavioral health agencies, and community organizations, probation remains central to building safer and healthier communities. And none of that happens without you.

We also recognize that this work requires investment, not just in programs and services, but in the people like you who make this profession possible. Probation’s role continues to evolve, but our mission remains constant: protecting communities while creating opportunities for accountability, growth, and rehabilitation. The work is not always easy, but it is essential, and it matters.

On behalf of the Chief Probation Officers of California, thank you for your dedication, your professionalism, and your service. Thank you for showing up every day for the people and communities who depend on you.

As we celebrate this week together, let us continue moving forward with pride in our profession, confidence in our purpose, and commitment to supporting one another as we shape the future of probation in California.

With appreciation,

Chief Esa Ehmen-Krause
President, Chief Probation Officers of California