Law enforcement association seeks ouster of probation department chief
EL CENTRO — Citing what they believe to be a clear lack of leadership and personal abuses of power at the Imperial County Probation Department, the Imperial County Probation and Corrections Peace O cers’ Association has asked the County Board of Supervisors to fire Daniel Prince as head of the agency.
“We have lost all trust, faith and confidence in Chief Prince’s ability to lead this Department,” Enrique Alvarado, Imperial County Probation and Corrections Peace Officers’ Association board president, told the Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting Tuesday morning at the County Administration Center.
Alvarado read aloud from a prepared statement during the public comment period as the open session convened. The supervisors did not comment on the issue following Alvarado’s statements because they are precluded by procedural rules from doing so.
When asked for official comment, Linsey J. Dale, county public information officer, said via email that “the County of Imperial has no comment regarding the opinions expressed by the Probation and Corrections Peace Officers Association at this time.”
Prince, contacted by Imperial Valley Press following the meeting via telephone, declined to comment for this article.
Prince assumed the position of chief probation o cer for the county on May 4, 2015, according to Dale. He succeeded interim chief Guadalupe Rabago, who was temporarily in charge of the department after former Chief Probation O cer Benny Benavidez retired in 2014.
In a letter posted online at the o cial probation department website, Prince wrote he “is proud to lead a sta of approximately 120 corrections professionals who strive to keep Imperial County a safe and wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.”
The Imperial County Probation and Corrections Peace O cers’ Association, during a May 20 meeting, issued a vote of no confidence against Prince, with about two-thirds of voters supporting that stance, Alvarado said. Allegations of hostility “Chief Prince has fostered an atmosphere of hostility, retaliation and unethical behavior,” Alvarado alleged. “Chief Prince has established a pattern and practice of inequitable treatment of department personnel and has utilized the internal investigation and threat of disciplinary action as a means to intimidate members. We can no longer be tolerant and are asking for your support in removing Chief Prince.”
Alvarado said the association considers the removal of Prince from his current role at the department a matter of public safety.
“Chief Prince’s inaction to resolve problems within the agency continues to jeopardize the safety of the entire Imperial County community,” Alvarado said. “Issues surrounding safety such as inadequate sta ng, inexperienced o cers being forced to learn the job without adequate supervision or training, and lack of equipment … are but a few of the problems that a ect our ability to provide adequate services to our residents of Imperial County.”
The association, Alvarado continued, hopes to “focus on bettering this department and protecting our community members, staff and probationers who live in the Imperial County in hopes of making our county a better place. Chief Prince has yet to realize that his neglect and inaction on these and numerous other issues that have been presented to him make him the biggest threat to safety in our department and the community.”
The probation department assists the criminal and civil court system in Imperial County by supervising an average of 3,000 adult and juvenile o enders on court-ordered probation or in diversion programs, according to the department website. The probation o cers also serve an investigative role for the courts by producing sentencing reports and recommendations. The o cers also are involved with specialized units that work with local police agencies and area law enforcement task forces.
The department oversees juvenile services, adult services and the operation of a juvenile detention facility.
For more information about the probation department, visit http://www.co.imperial. ca.us/probation/index.htm.