San Mateo County Honors the Unsung Heroes of Probation

Redwood City - The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution proclaiming July 20-26, 2025, as Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week, joining communities across the country in recognizing the dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to enhance public safety and support rehabilitation.

This year's national theme, "Heroes Behind the Mission: Transforming Lives, Enhancing Public Safety," highlights the essential, often behind-the-scenes role that community corrections professionals play in building safer and stronger communities. Since 1999, this week has served as an opportunity to honor the more than 90,000 community corrections staff nationwide and the 215 dedicated employees of the San Mateo County Probation Department.

"The County's Probation staff are truly heroes behind the mission," said Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who sponsored the proclamation. "Through their commitment to rehabilitation and community engagement, they support our justice system and transform lives every day."

The Board's proclamation recognizes the Department's work supervising 3,100 adults and 360 juveniles on probation, and managing more than 1,140 individuals released pretrial or prior to sentencing, making probation a vital link between court accountability and community reintegration.

The Probation Department continues to lead in both innovation and service delivery:

• Prob2Go, the Department's mobile probation services van, brings check-ins and support services directly to underserved areas like East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay and South San Francisco, improving outcomes for clients experiencing homelessness.
• Two new payment kiosks in Redwood City and at the Youth Services Center in San Mateo make it easier for clients to fulfill victim restitution obligations.
• In FY 2025-26, the Probation Department launched a partnership with Cognisen AI to streamline court report writing and field supervision, increasing efficiency while enhancing officer safety and client support.
• A new Institutions Services module in the case management system now improves data collection and programming for youth in detention.

In a powerful reflection of its mission, the department recently celebrated a major milestone: On May 28, 2025, eight young people graduated from the San Mateo County Youth Services Center. Wearing purple gowns and personalized caps, the graduates were honored alongside their families in a ceremony filled with pride and hope. Among them, three earned college degrees through the Probation Department's partnership with Project Change's Rising Scholars Program. Two graduated cum laude and will transfer to San Francisco State University.

"The men and women of the San Mateo County Probation Department deeply believe in the work of enhancing community safety and people's capacity to change," said Chief Probation Officer John Keene. "Probation is more than supervision. It's a bridge to redemption. By guiding individuals toward change and accountability, it strengthens communities and builds a safer, more hopeful future for all."