Cuts in probation oversight questioned

Suffolk County lawmakers are expressing concern after learning that the county has reduced the level of oversight for some 1,200 probationers.

Prompting the concern was new testimony by Gerard Cook, the county's new probation director. Cook acknowledged at a meeting of the public safety committee on Friday that his predecessor late last year reclassified about a tenth of the offenders the county supervises, so that they only have to report to probation officers once a month. They had had a twice-monthly requirement.

On Monday, lawmakers pointed to an internal memo written by the prior head of the department blaming staffing shortages for the change. In a news release, Legis. Jack Eddington (I-Patchoque), chairman of the public safety committee, said, "The Legislature has been saying for some time now that the county executive's refusal to hire adequate public safety personnel has put the public at risk."

Levy administration officials, though, denied any increased danger and said they were aware of no incidents or problems that had occurred since the change.

County Budget Director Connie Corso said Cook is re-evaluating all those receiving less monitoring, and "at first blush," they seem to be receiving the proper level of supervision.

Corso stressed also that the move was made without the approval of top county officials. She acknowledged that Cook's predecessor, John Desmond, wrote her late last year, in a summary of the departmental activities that had occurred in October, that the county was moving ahead with the reclassification. He warned in the memo, "Frankly, this will present a significant increase in public safety risk to the community."

But Corso said she didn't realize the change had been made until she met with Desmond in January. Asked why, Corso described the memo as routine and said Desmond should have raised the issue more overtly with her. Department directors hoping to inform top aides of a pressing issue "would bang on doors, not send an email," she said. "I was dealing with a $2.7 billion budget."

Upon learning of the change, County Executive Steve Levy immediately authorized the hiring of 11 more probation workers, Corso said.

Corso the additional hiring would bring the number of probation officers to 275, only three fewer than the 278 the county employed in 2004.

However, Desmond in his memo noted that new laws -- such as one requiring those with a DUI convictions to get breathalyser devices attached to the ignition of their vehicles -- is increasing the workload on his staff.

Desmond retired March 1 but is serving as deputy director through the month. A message left at his office and another through an acquaintance were not returned. His home telephone number could not be located.