Midland juvenile probation director lauded upon retirement

One seldom sees a feature-length profile of a juvenile probation chief, even upon retirement, but the Midland Reporter-Telegram has a nice story on Adolfo Salcido who is retiring after 33 years with the Midland juvenile probation department, the last 20 as director. He began his career picking cotton as a 10-year old, considered a job as a dishwasher in a Furr's cafeteria a step up (and potentially lifetime employment), then followed a girl to college, back to Midland, and ended up being groomed to run the department. Mainly one finds bad news with each morning's batch of press, so it's nice to see good work lauded. Here's a notable excerpt:

"I hope that people will remember me as being fair, honest and a leader," said Salcido, who then declared, "You are only as good as the people you are surrounded by, and I am surrounded by a great bunch of people."

Stalwart and unflappable, Salcido over the years became hailed as a gentle soul, quiet and contemplative, celebrated for calmness even in a tempest when others might be tempted to rush and relent.

Calm, reflective, attentive, "a good listener" and "always even-tempered" though issues may be steeped in controversy, Salcido was "always in control of his department," observed Midland County Court-at-Law Judge K. Kyle Peeler, who has served as Juvenile Court judge since January 2011.

"He always had his heart in his job," Peeler said. "Adolfo always had the welfare of youth as his primary concern. He could be firm. It was a respectful firmness, not overbearing. He would not shy from doing the right thing. His integrity was without question. His credibility was beyond reproach."

Peeler assumed the judgeship of the Juvenile Court after Midland County Court-at-Law Judge and Juvenile Court Judge Al Walvoord retired after serving in the judgeships for 20 years.

Walvoord said Salcido was "an excellent monetary supervisor" of the "massive amount of money," down to the penny, from federal, state and local sources that would "come and go" in efficiently running his department operated by a 40-member staff.

Salcido's overriding concern was that the program be conducted "correctly, appropriately and beneficially for the kids," Walvoord said. "That has been his thrust and goal."

His focus was on rehabilitation of the errant youngsters, not punishment. "They are mostly good kids. They are not bad. They have made bad decisions."