The oath of office.
Yesterday was the 90th anniversary of the U.S. Probation Office, Western District of Oklahoma. It was also the ceremony for the Changing of the Chief.
As I watched the changing of the guard between these honorable men, I was reminded of the vital role that U.S. Probation plays in our criminal justice system. They are unique in law enforcement in that their mission blends public safety with the reintegration of the offender.
When I first met a federal probation officer riding the elevators at the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse in St. Louis, I was amazed to learn all the different things they do.
Not only are they sworn law enforcement officers who supervise and monitor probationers, and search and arrest those who violate their supervision, but they also serve as life coaches, mentors, and role models for the offenders on their case loads, connecting them with resources that they need to rebuild their lives into responsible citizens.
And that’s just the final third of Probation’s mission. The USPO plays a role at nearly every stage of the criminal justice process. Pretrial release is the presumption in the federal system. And who supervises it, allowing the accused to remain at liberty while ensuring they appear to face their charges? Probation.
And between conviction and sentencing, it is Probation who is responsible for the monumental task of conducting presentence investigations, calculating the initial Sentencing Guidelines ranges, and writing the Presentence Investigation Reports (PSRs or PSIs) that judges rely on at sentencing.
With all that, it is no surprise that most U.S. Probation officers have post/graduate degrees. In the Western District of Oklahoma, that the number is around 80%!
These brave, faithful, and highly educated law enforcement officers take their oath seriously. And we are all better off because of them.
Thank you and congratulations to the outgoing Chief Stephen Skinner, and congratulations and God’s speed to the newly appointed Chief Sean Bernhard. May he indeed support and defend the Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of the office.
#USProbation #RuleofLaw #Constitution #Judiciary #LawyersofLinkedIn #FederalCourts
