LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Clark County Commissioners voted on a proposal that would create new jobs for the juvenile detention center, but some are calling the move an effort in “union busting.”
On Tuesday, John Muños, Director of the Department of Juvenile Services (DJJS), told the commission the introduction of juvenile detention specialists to work alongside highly trained juvenile probation officers (JPOs) was an effort to fill vacancies.
“I want to emphasize this proposal is not about diminishing the role of JPOs or eroding professional standards,” Muños said. “On the contrary, this initiative is about enhancing our department’s ability to serve both our youth and our dedicated officers more effectively.”
President of the Juvenile Justice Probation Officers Association and 28-year officer, Kevin Eppenger, said the police union views the proposal as a “union busting” measure which is seeking to fill vacancies with non-union positions.
“There’s 97 commissioned staff which are budgeted to work at the detention facility, and they voted to bring on 10 juvenile detention specialists,” Eppenger said. “From what that is, non-commissioned officers [will] come in and do the work of commissioned officers in the juvenile facility with juvenile offenders.”
The proposal, which was approved Tuesday unanimously by the county, will create 10 juvenile detention specialists, and three family service specialists, and eliminate 39 vacant positions. Eppenger expressed concerns that the non-union employees would lack the training and education of current staff, pointing to similar efforts at the Clark County Detention Center.
“We go through rigorous training, eight to 12-week academy—we’re all post-certified,” he said. “We’re required to maintain our post certification throughout the year, the department does offer a lot of training and just the overall just the overall experience and the quality that commission officers bring.”
Muños said the proposal is not a union-busting effort, noting union positions would be made available after the current positions are filled, and called the proposal a forward-thinking step.
“They will not take on the core responsibilities of JPOs in the field,” Muños said. “There is no plan, I say again, no plan to reduce the number of JPO positions in our department.”
Some of the new positions will be set to require a college degree, background check, and personal history questionnaire, according to Muños.
Eppenger said, following the county’s vote, the police union plans to file a complaint to the Nevada Department of Businesses and Industry Government Employee-Management Relations Board.
