Chief probation officer: designee.

Assembly Member Bryan's proposal to modify California's probation officer requirements would allow counties with populations over 3.5 million to delegate certain probation duties to youth development officials appointed by county supervisors. Under current law, chief probation officers in all counties must personally oversee juvenile supervision, facility operations, and community corrections programs.

The measure creates a specific exception for large counties while maintaining existing probation officer responsibilities, including community supervision of juvenile offenders, operation of detention facilities, administration of corrections programs, and court recommendations. In qualifying counties, these duties could be performed by either the chief probation officer or a board-appointed designee with youth development jurisdiction. The bill preserves the chief probation officer's ability to serve on the Board of State and Community Corrections and perform other consistent duties.

This targeted amendment to the Government Code applies only to counties meeting the population threshold, leaving the current structure unchanged in smaller jurisdictions. The measure requires no new funding and operates within existing administrative frameworks for probation services and juvenile justice programs.