tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post1877665981124394120..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Dallas probation department to audit drug and alcohol tests after positive UAs went unreportedGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-82505179216853359712013-09-27T09:10:37.465-05:002013-09-27T09:10:37.465-05:00It is sad that nothing will come from knowing that...It is sad that nothing will come from knowing that Dallas county adult probation is a corrupt and racist organization. the powers that can effect change just want to talk about it, and take no action. Judges will only spout change at election time to hold on to their positions on the bench, administration has already proven that if the word I is not in the sentence " I don't care about you is evident" Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18443692454078728822013-09-10T07:59:15.250-05:002013-09-10T07:59:15.250-05:00 @ 9/07/2013 12:28:00 PM post I would agree with a... @ 9/07/2013 12:28:00 PM post I would agree with almost every thing but CSCDs union is a joke plain and simple with no real ready for war leader and no true power period. Not to mention the way they divided court from field gives us no chance to really get to know each other and have words outside blogs Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-37008804455248608422013-09-07T12:28:15.721-05:002013-09-07T12:28:15.721-05:00Has anyone seen the paper today
9-7-13? We are un...Has anyone seen the paper today <br />9-7-13? We are under fire again and I feel thrown out to the wolves!! There is a lot of problems with our department and<br />** I do agree with we are again too top heavy, not enough CSO's in Court(Court Supervisors are excellent but over worked too)<br />** In my opinion the Department should go back to having CSO'S assigned to the Courts then you know the policy of that Judge, a knowledge of their standards and was a team. WAIT>>> that was dissolved because the new Administration felt the Court CSO and Supervisors had to much power with the Judges. No matter what anyone wants to think that is the bottom line. <br />**Our, Department does not work for the Judges as that is CORRECT answer on the promotion board! There is a fine line there and our department has forgot where it is because the Judge control the Client future not us!!<br />*** I personally do not like the way we are managing the caseloads by supervision levels. My understanding this was done prior to when I started working with Dallas CSCD (97) and it did not work so why did we ever go back to it? <br />**We do have to face the fact that how Bryan Sexton case was handle was incorrect; however, he did have to walk home. Funny he drove back to Probation for another meeting on the same day the paper said. Why would he be returning on the same day to Probation? Maybe it was the Cats treatment program? 2 times in one day, odd?<br />**I agree that there is a lot of problems in our Department from moral to CSO not doing the correct work. But it has been a long time coming and I fear it is going to get worse than better if we continue not being a team!! Oh! wait yesterday we were praised for the work we did but today the paper and our leader through us under the BUS!! JUST HAVE TO LOVE IT!!<br />P.S.<br />If you are so upset then attend the UNION meeting and help correct the problem. We have to pull together somehow to get the problems resolved. Remember we are human and make errors and all play a role in it by doing something or just sitting on the sidelines. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-9308256592427085832013-09-07T09:37:31.792-05:002013-09-07T09:37:31.792-05:00CORRUPTION! Dr Noyes,Fidel Silva,Angie RACIST Hall...CORRUPTION! Dr Noyes,Fidel Silva,Angie RACIST Hall,and Tonya Williams need to be dealt with. Don't fault Judge Holmes for calling them out. I wish more judges would investigate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76635142061006953922013-09-01T23:35:19.548-05:002013-09-01T23:35:19.548-05:00Fascinating posts. I just wanted to post to respon...Fascinating posts. I just wanted to post to respond to a few things here and there. Harris County officers make about 4K less a year than Travis County with a regular caseload of 120-160 depending on what side of town you work. Harris County also has a lot of "special programs" in which officers have 20-35 cases and want to bottle feed the "clients". Our new director, Dr. Theresa May has ordered a drastic reduction in UA's, more "progressive sanctions" and now is now hiring psychologists to set up the greatest assessment unit ever which will give recommendations most judges don't want and don't need, but almost always include some special program (most often)or class that only the probation department can offer. Rarely in Harris County, are people placed on deferred or probation without an agreed recommendation, the ADA's love to offer probation as a way to cut down their numbers and and the defense attorney's always want probation, even though sometimes their clients know better and just want to do their time. Not to forget the BEST IDEA EVER to come out of Austin which is MANDATORY probation on first time stj pcs. Never mind the defendant has 8 prior misd, is homeless and likes it that way. You can't 12.44A everything! It sounds Harris County and Travis County are similar in that some (not all, but way too many) Judges say they want to be notified at a certain number/type of violation and a mtr will be filed. The probation officer types up the file and sends it in thinking the Judge will do what they say in their court policy/court notes etc . Then the Judge does nothing, or worse yet, calls the defendant to crt and does nothing. Now the probationer KNOWS the Judge can be manipulated and the probation officer looses all credibility. I have been blessed with good STRICT Judges so I am much happier than most. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-55058494885559376212013-08-30T09:12:25.766-05:002013-08-30T09:12:25.766-05:00People keep saying hey go speak up at the meetings...People keep saying hey go speak up at the meetings lol. What a joke you must want to see someone get fired. This administration has a habit of moving people to squeeze them to quit what do you think they would do to a person who was to stand up in a meeting and say how every one feels. If they really even cared about officers they would bring back the suggestion box or an dallas county probation online blog for employees only like this site. They will not do that because this is a dictatorship and they do not care what the ground soldiers say or know they think they know everything even when people like Givens hall and Silva have not been on the front lines in 10 yrs and have not first hand used MI, EBP or PROGRESSIVE RESPONSE. Not to mention clients are diffrent now then 10 yrs ago I have seen it first hand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-12820521890314488092013-08-30T01:03:35.667-05:002013-08-30T01:03:35.667-05:00The probation department that is Dallas County is ...The probation department that is Dallas County is the way it is because of those whom are in control of it, unfortunately. The backlash, the finger pointing and "turn against one another" mentality that is displayed in this blog alone is representative of what officers experience first hand on a daily basis. Call it a learned pattern of behavior, if you will. From the judges to administration and even down to direct supervisors, finger pointing in the probation department is the name of the game. So if it's done from the top of the chain, why wouldn't many down at the bottom of the totem pole turn that blame right back around? As one person mentioned earlier on, probation officers simply follow directives. These directives will be one thing on Friday and change over the weekend. Come Monday, there's a new way to do things. Officers don't make those decisions. If this judge felt so strongly about the DWI felony convict, she could have avoided this by making the decision herself not to place him on probation, after all jail is where he ended up anyhow. She did this to promote herself as a savior to the community. In 2010, there where nearly 3000 alcohol related traffic deaths in Texas, 2011 over 3000 deaths and 2013, over 1500 to date. Think of all the lives she and others like herself could have saved if they weren't so money hungry and power driven. Yes, the department is managed, not run, by a corrupt group of individuals, sure there is widespread resentment towards those individuals and utter disdain for their behaviors and the practices they have put in place but not a darn thing will be done about it. Why? Because the whole reason we are all having this discussion is because there are but a few who are responsible for the shamble(s)and those few will protect themselves only to ultimately all gang up on one lowly probation officer. They will then pat themselves on the backs and claim, "job well done-we have outted the good and faithful servant."<br /><br />For the record, Noyes nor the judges actually run the department, the probationers/customers are running it because they are the ones bringing in the bucks and they know this which is why they can smoke all the dope they want, drink all the alcohol they want, have interlock violations, go to see their probation officers when they want and face no recourse. <br /><br />The community is being duped by this spectacle of an organization. The probation department in and of itself in Dallas County, is a debacle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64328801688624192802013-08-29T22:35:43.284-05:002013-08-29T22:35:43.284-05:00CSCD,once was a place of respect,however now that ...CSCD,once was a place of respect,however now that this article has come out regarding UA's the agency has went up against each other. Wearing there feelings on thieir shoulders and talking about each other which makes you think they really don't care for the company so why care for the probationer,never seen such a organization with so much hate for each other its a sad thing to see or read,pray for the people who happen to take probation in Dallas County.<br />Peace love and happiness :). :) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-32191606776875534412013-08-29T21:34:00.807-05:002013-08-29T21:34:00.807-05:00This is the worst place to work with so many small...This is the worst place to work with so many small minded people who are just as ugly on the outside just as well in the inside.They don't have a life and are so scared to show face if you really have something to say speak up in the quarterly meeting you cowards..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18670155095261162272013-08-29T20:41:13.843-05:002013-08-29T20:41:13.843-05:00All I know is the Dept. used to be a great place t...All I know is the Dept. used to be a great place to work at. Then "the new guys" came in, took over and ruined the morality, the competency, and the professionalism of the organization. There are now crazy people running the place who have no morals, no class and they lie about everything. Oh, and is Tonya still have affairs with her female employees?? - still in the open!? wow! What a tragedy that it all turned in to. / And management (if that's what you call them) stop telling officers to go work at McDonald's. You couldn't handle that job either. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-9212865090480805122013-08-29T10:33:57.063-05:002013-08-29T10:33:57.063-05:008/29/2013 07:50:00 AM
Lol really look who is talki...8/29/2013 07:50:00 AM<br />Lol really look who is talking WHY ARE YOU EVEN ON HERE? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76124097083605558512013-08-29T07:50:38.704-05:002013-08-29T07:50:38.704-05:00REPLY TO 8/28/2013 11:04:00 AM ... If you put this...REPLY TO 8/28/2013 11:04:00 AM ... If you put this much energy into making sure that your HOME LIFE IS COMPLETE and YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOB so that you are not called down to court, maybe you would not be so MISERABLE. Get a life and we are embarassed for you!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-10786797598623795352013-08-28T13:05:35.485-05:002013-08-28T13:05:35.485-05:00Agreed! Making vicious personal attacks as Anonymo...Agreed! Making vicious personal attacks as Anonymous bloggers only makes you look silly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-67672276524885119102013-08-28T12:54:57.926-05:002013-08-28T12:54:57.926-05:00The audit is only going to look at the extent to w...The audit is only going to look at the extent to which positive ua's were reported or not reported to the courts. To this end, it will only draw upon a scientific sample of cases. If you want to see a change in administration, then do it the old-fashioned way and take the fight to the man. If you don't know how, then go ask the people who went to war with Ron Goethals. I read a previous post where the employees association handed Mr. Goethals his ass.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51365033079538433442013-08-28T11:04:52.952-05:002013-08-28T11:04:52.952-05:00Please Judges, if you are reading these posts, ple...Please Judges, if you are reading these posts, please help us. It's hard to talk to clients all day about doing the right thing when you know the Administration is so corrupt. In addition to being an absentee director, Noyes has allowed promotions that make no sense at all. How in the heck did Givenshall get promoted?? She may be of equal intelligence to Silva, but she is so dirty and vicious! I didn't know about the drunken part until an earlier post, but I do know from experience her character is seriously flawed. Tonya Williams is another prize choice of Noyes. She has done so many questionable things that there are too many to mention them all. My favorite is how she changed the Nepotism policy just long enough to hire her own nephew. (A nephew I suspect was promised big things based on his own words). Once she got all of her family hired, she then reinstated the Nepotism policy. INSANE!! Where is Noyes in all of this. Then recently Tonya Williams left the department for a brief time. Rumors were that she left so she could withdraw her retirement money. It's also reported she knew she would be rehired on a certain date. Only Noyes could have approved that. Who the heck does that. It's just weird, unprofessional and shows the current administration is corrupt and without concern for the integrity of the department and County. I'm so embarrassed! Please Judges, we need help!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59236349341480866002013-08-27T12:46:53.167-05:002013-08-27T12:46:53.167-05:00I hope the audit shows how many times Judge Tinsle...I hope the audit shows how many times Judge Tinsley returns files on violations. The guy is a total joke. The probationers are happy to be in his court. The motto is "use drugs and violate", and Tinsley will save the day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4121092503353428582013-08-27T12:36:53.900-05:002013-08-27T12:36:53.900-05:00Amen! 8/26/13, 10:11:00PMAmen! 8/26/13, 10:11:00PMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-9576044950467372342013-08-26T22:11:53.525-05:002013-08-26T22:11:53.525-05:00Dallas Probation has become a joke under the direc...Dallas Probation has become a joke under the direction of M. Noyes and his management team of excessive managers who are raking in excessive salaries and bonuses. Every one in administration is a manager, how ridiculous. He has now made a major mistake promoting a drunken, racist, ignorant A. Hall as a manager believing she can manage a sinking dept where F. Silva could not. He made the mistake of letting her run his office, letting her run rampant, stabbing people in the back not thinking she would turn the knife on him, major mistake; once a snake always a drunken snake. She promotes only incompetent black males who literally suck her ass and toes. While qualified whites cannot get promoted; reverse discrimination is the new thing in Dallas County. We should file a law suit. Well not only should white males file a law suit, so should probationers, they have been robbed by M. Noyes who initiated a 100.00 dollar assessment fee for Cats assessment but not all probationers get an evaluations but a lot of them are paying the 100.00 dollars. How about that judges, did you know that and it is not on their conditions of probation. <br />Maybe that's how M. Noyes paid managers, supervisors and assistants their bonuses or was it hush money. <br />Probation officers were forced to sit on violations, does the public really believe officers want drug addicts reporting to them, running the streets when they have to deal with the effects of their behavior every month- NO. Officers want action but cannot force supervisors and the courts to take action, officers are puppets working for the court and the department following directions of greedy, political tyrant and you cannot reason with the devil or make deals with him either. <br />Officers do their jobs under the directions of their boss, M. Noyes who is out making a name for himself at the expense of the community he swore to protect and the probationers he swore to supervise and help. He is the joke and the judges are allowing the joke to continue. Let's hope the audit is for real and not a Dallas County cover up for public show.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59161930698586213012013-08-26T18:00:34.094-05:002013-08-26T18:00:34.094-05:008/25/2013 10:15:00 PM lol anything better to do th...8/25/2013 10:15:00 PM lol anything better to do than trying to be the spelling monitor? Lol you must be a idiot if you cannot tell that the poster is pissed and I doint think his or her spelling got anything to do with the issue of how they feel. Lol at the stupid red mark comment I am posting from my phone there is no red lines for spelling check. Say something useful or just SHUT UP no one cares lol and stop being annoying and get a lifeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22834976100216571732013-08-26T14:57:25.552-05:002013-08-26T14:57:25.552-05:00bastages......bastages......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48876275053940212013-08-26T11:29:08.048-05:002013-08-26T11:29:08.048-05:00TO 08/25/13 @ 2:41PM I know that the current admin...TO 08/25/13 @ 2:41PM I know that the current administration has done more to increase officer salaries than the previous one,( he gave a raise 1 year and then took it back he next yr) and it is certainly more open to improving communication with line officers.(how come all calls go to T. Artesi when you call the director?) this administration is open to correcting and improving the way things are done (as opposed to the 'my way or the highway' of the old administration)(all the director wants is more data imputed into the computer for stats). <br />There is also not enough office space at the field offices for all staff but he is taking away the work from home (where the officers spend hrs doing data entry for his stats) and all will be required to come to the office daily. <br />As far as all the ones saying if you don't like it leave: well we enjoy the job, that is why we are here. We are bringing the problem to the surface so the judges have an idea of what is going on... The director has kept the courts in the dark for long enough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-25620331053825172722013-08-26T10:34:28.752-05:002013-08-26T10:34:28.752-05:00I have read a few of the post, it appears that the...I have read a few of the post, it appears that there are more unhappy people than there are happy people. The old saying goes "where their is smoke there is fire"<br /><br />I myself experienced the administration of the current director. Before I took retirement I had spent 53 years in the work force. During this time I experienced very good Leadership and some that was not so good. The last few years years under the DIRECTION (which is different than LEADERSHIP) of the current director was the worse years of my career.<br />The current director does in fact meet my definition of a DIRECTOR, this is a person that TELLS you what HE wants done and how he wants it done. If this does not happen you are assigned to the dreaded "Special Projects" cubicle on the 9th floor where you can be watched very closely.<br /><br />I have a couple issues that I have not seen addressed, they are:<br /><br />The use of Probation Officers to sort through cans at the NTX food bank. In my office alone there were approximately 40 officers asked to give up approx 300 hours supervision time each time we "volunteered" to go to the food bank. The approximate cost of this project is approx $6,400.00. In addition if assuming it was a report day for 20 officers, this meant the loss of report time of approx 80 hours report time or needing to find time for approx 240 clients..<br /><br />item number 2:<br />The quarterly meeting at the court house. Are they really a good use of time and money<br />Given there were about 350 employees in attendance for 4 hours (actually not quite 3 hrs) which translates to 1,400 work hours lost. Using an average salary of $20.00 an hour the cost to the county would be $28,000 in salaries. Add to the cost paid for mileage and parking maybe another $500.00. This was an event that happened 4 times a year, which is approx $114,000.00 annually. <br /><br />Item number 3: <br />Prior to the current director arriving the Judges gave us time off at Christmas time. He arrived they became "DIRECTOR DAYS"<br /><br />I guess I could go on and on but I was told by a wise man "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything"<br /><br />IT was once said that if "a man needs to USE others to make his way, he will be lost forever<br /><br />To all the officers that have chosen Probation as a career my heart is with you. I been there.<br /><br />Just remember nothing is Permanent, Learn from the honorable, don't spend your energy on the less than honorable.<br />S/FAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-81920574063215947252013-08-25T23:35:27.582-05:002013-08-25T23:35:27.582-05:008:38. You are a typical coward who hides behind th...8:38. You are a typical coward who hides behind the keyboard. This world would be better off without people like you. I challenge you to show your face and I will show mine. COWARD!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-61600898838924384832013-08-25T22:15:26.856-05:002013-08-25T22:15:26.856-05:0008:38:00 PM
LOL! You gave Dr Noyes some "idea... 08:38:00 PM<br />LOL! You gave Dr Noyes some "ideals" and he is "no open to change"? Maybe if you put them in writing with your wonderful grammar and spelling (the red crooked line underneath means it's misspelled), he might take a second look. Keep looking for that "rasie"! <br />Stop it please! GAWD this is embarrassing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-73672761001983199462013-08-25T20:38:29.835-05:002013-08-25T20:38:29.835-05:00Lol, I can for one say Dr Noyes is no open to chan...Lol, I can for one say Dr Noyes is no open to change I have given him some ideals and he basically told me he would not even look into that direction and EBP is all he wants to hear about. And this adminstration has given raises but Dallas Probation supervises more people then any probation in the state and are still I repeat still among the lowest paid. Not to mention they gave us a rasie then took it back the next year. They have made changes but not all have been good or bad like they want to take work from home away right now, which is ghe only reason some of us did not leave this job. The judges may take stabs at probation but they KNOW the cannot do their jobs without us period(eyes and ears) for a week I would love to see them try it without probation officers help and monitoring I wouldd gladly take a week off and watch the fireworksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com