Special Enforcement Operations

The Probation Department’s Special Enforcement Operations (SEO) Unit is an elite unit comprised of armed Deputy Probation Officers who are highly trained, expertly skilled, and tremendously motivated professionals who make them the best of the best at what they do. SEO conduct searches, plan and execute joint law enforcement special operations such as sweeps, seizures, and warrant enforcement. Additionally, SEO collaborates on a regular basis with local, state, and federal agencies such as LAPD, FBI, US Marshals and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Operations range from gang homicides, organized crime task forces and fugitive apprehension.

Overview of its major operational components:

Clear

The primary purpose of Los Angeles City Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) program is to facilitate the recovery of gang-infested communities. This is accomplished by decreasing the criminal activity of targeted gangs in designated communities through an effective collaboration among several City and County criminal justice agencies, and partnerships between this core collaborative and affiliated agencies, programs and individuals in the targeted communities.

The CLEAR Units duties are also specific to individuals who have been ordered to probation supervision by the courts, and reside and/or visit within the Division’s geographical boundaries. These activities are done in coordination with the District Attorney’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Community Stakeholders, and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Disarm

The Probation Department’s Developing Increased Safety through Arms Reduction Management (DISARM) Unit was initiated by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich in February of 2000, in wake of the tragic August 1999 shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center and the murder of a postal worker by an armed felon on probation from Washington State. Since its inception, DISARM has since seized more than 7,000 weapons, more than $300 Million in illegal drugs and drug money and assisted in over 15,000 arrests.

The DISARM Unit have established collaborative working relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. DISARM members are often asked to work on various task forces formed by these agencies, as well as the County-wide CSEC Task Force.

AB 109 ARMED (ASSEMBLY BILL 109)

In 2011, the California Legislature and Governor Brown passed sweeping public safety legislation (AB 109) that effectively shifted responsibility for certain populations of offenders from the state to the County. The County of Los Angeles Probation Department began the implementation of an Armed AB 109 Unit to service the needs of the AB 109 Population. This program was in addition to the already established Armed Programs. The program primarily targets high risk individuals for referral for services and emergency detention when necessary to protect the clients and the community, in accordance with evidence based principals.

The AB 109 Armed Unit works collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies as well as with the department’s armed units to perform an array of community safety tasks. Since the inception, the AB 109 armed deputies have been actively involved with the suppression and monitoring of the department’s AB 109 clientele.

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