In the nine months since Mayor Adams tapped ex-NYPD chief Juanita Holmes to run the city Probation Department, she has ordered officers to carry guns, pushed for offenders to be charged more often with probation violations, and slashed funding to well-regarded programs.
Critics worry she’s shifted the agency from an emphasis on social work to a more aggressive law enforcement footing.
“Probation developed a national reputation for its thoughtful, reform-oriented approach,” said City Councilman Lincoln Restler. “And I think she’s going in the wrong direction and sending the wrong message.”
But Holmes says the changes are aimed at making the agency do a better job ensuring people on probation are working, attending school, or meeting other requirements of their non-jail sentences.