PR FIRM CONTRACTED TO BOOST PROBATION RECRUITMENT

Board approves request, company selected without competitive bids

The Board of Supervisors on Jan. 9 approved the Riverside County Department of Probation’s request for a $180,000 contract with a public relations firm to establish marketing strategies intended to strengthen recruiting and retention of personnel.

“Part of our strategy has been finding the best PR firm to assist in the competitive world of public relations,” Chief Probation Officer Christopher Wright told the board ahead of its 5-0 vote. “We believe this firm’s over 30 years of experience and working with law enforcement were the right fit for our department.”

The two-year compact with Chino Hills-based TOC Public Relations was among the proposals that the board entertained during its first meeting of the year.

The company was selected without seeking competitive bids, which the Department of Probation explained in documents posted to the policy agenda was justified based on the firm’s history of “specialized relevant law enforcement public information experience.”

Only Supervisor Kevin Jeffries questioned the sole source contract award, commenting that a “non-competitive bid” might be negatively viewed, but he was solaced by Wright’s explanation.

Probation officials said in agenda documents that TOC is “well-positioned to provide digital marketing, content creation, communications consulting and training services specifically designed and developed for public safety agencies.”

Wright confirmed that the department’s current employee vacancy rate is 24 percent, down from 35 percent seven months ago.

“We feel that TOC will help us meet our goal (of attracting prospects),” he said. “Our No. 1 goal is focusing on recruitment and retention. Our expectation is to staff our facilities at a higher rate due to prison closures. We’re facing competition in surrounding counties, where they’re looking for the same candidates. I’m really seeking to be aggressive (in recruitment).”

TOC’S job will be to launch a new web portal designed to highlight the positives of working for the Department of Probation, as well as amplify messaging via all social media channels, targeting “viable applicants and allowing the public relations unit to identify meaningful online productions through analytics.”

The firm will be the principal actuator of content creation for online information dissemination, handling advertising and formulating recruitment strategies, according to officials.

The contract will expire on Jan. 8, 2026. All funding will be drawn from the department’s internal budget.