WC Probation Commish Rocco Pozzi Responds to Mayor Davis’ Letter on Mt. Vernon Probation Office Closure

In response to the letter Davis sent to Commissioner Rocco Pozzi of the Westchester County Department of Probation, Thursday December 10, asking they rethink the relocation of the probation office to White Plains and return it back to the city of Mount Vernon, Pozzi send the following letter.

Dear Mayor Davis,

Thank You for your letter of December 10, 2015 concerning the closing of the Probation Department District Office at 22-24 South 3rd Avenue.

During my entire tenure as Commissioner of Probation I have always placed an emphasis on working with those in need of our services in the community. Let me assure you that it is our intent to continue to provide these services within the community of Mount Vernon.

At the present time the Probation Department is planning to maintain a community presence by securing space at our county owned facility at 100 East First Avenue, Mount Vernon. This space will be utilized by officers to interview those individuals who must
be seen in Mount Vernon for a myriad of reasons. Also, I am securing conference room space so our newly created GED program can continue to function.

In your letter you expressed concern about young individuals experiencing a hardship because they will now be required to receive services in our White Plains Office. Actually, this relocation will not effect any individuals who are sent to us by the Family Court (PINS and JD cases). These services have always been provided by our District Office located with the Family Court in New Rochelle. If Officers need to see families or children who cannot travel to New Rochelle, they will continue to provide these services at our new offices in Mt. Vernon as they do presently. Also Probation Officers are required and are expected to provide supervision and services by visiting schools, residences and programs in the community. This department is placing a much
higher emphasis on field contact rather than office contact.

I am confident the professionalism of my Probation Staff will remain steadfast in attempting to maintain our current high success rate of getting individuals through their court mandated probation sentences. The Astorino Administration has already provided additional revenues to cover off hour field contacts. Also vehicles that will be needed order to make probation officers mobile are being made available to them. Some perceived fears that individuals will be penalized and incarcerated because they are unable to report to White Plains, will be closely monitored by my administration. It is not in the in the best interest of this county to burden our correctional system with such matters.

In Conclusion, we expect this transition to cause little disruption to our department’s ability to provide services to your constituency while still maintaining a presence in the Mount Vernon Community.

Sincerely,
Rocco A. Pozzi
Commissioner
Westchester County Department of Probation

Since Davis also sent a letter responding to County Legislator Lyndon Williams’ call for a town-hall meeting on Memorial Field, holding yet another town forum meeting on Memorial Field while doing nothing to prevent the December 15th closing of the Mount Vernon Probation Office, that was posted in BW, Legislator Williams asked us to post Pozzi’s response. In a effort to bring you all sides of this developing story we share this letter so you can make up your own mind.

Earlier today we also reported despite the MV Probation Office closure to save money, the county is hiring seven new probation officers in Peekskill and expanding the office space and adding a domestic violence unit to the Peekskill Probation Office.

Stay Tuned to BW and we will continue to follow this story as it develops.

Black Westchester

Black Westchester - News With The Black Point Of View is an online news magazine for people of color for Westchester and the Tri- State area of New York at every economic level. Our mission is to promote the concept of “community” through media.