The Probation Department conducted a multi-agency probation compliance operation in the Morongo Valley Thursday night focusing on probationers and AB 109 offenders on supervised release due to the Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011.
Probation compliance and enforcement efforts targeted offenders residing in the Morongo Valley, specifically the cities of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Twenty Nine Palms and Landers.
The Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Agents teamed with Probation Officers to conduct the sweep. Fifty-six probation officers and support staff were deployed. Total personnel involved in the operation were 73, including 2 probation narcotics K9 teams.
This operation was part of the Probation Department’s on-going mission to conduct saturation compliance operations in which every supervised offender within a specific city or area is targeted for contact. The department accomplishes this by redeploying officers from throughout the county to focus on the target city.
Offenders found to be violation of their terms of release and believed to represent a risk to public safety were arrested immediately.
Offenders with technical violations of probation or simply at risk for re-offense were referred to receive follow-up programming or resources that will assist them in complying with probation terms and succeeding on supervised release.
During the course of the operation 129 home visits and five arrest warrant services were attempted. This resulted in 90 contacts with AB 109 offenders or probationers. The operation produced 16 arrests, two handguns, a Taser, six grams of methamphetamine, five grams of marijuana and one hashish lab.
“Tonight’s compliance sweep in the Morongo Valley is an example of our efforts to conduct field operations everywhere in the county, in both urban and rural areas,” said Chief Probation Officer Michelle Scray Brown. “And, offenders who choose to violate the law or represent a risk to the community while on supervised release will be arrested.”