Adult and Juvenile Probation

Adult and juvenile probation administered locally under the jurisdiction of a unified court system under the Arizona Supreme Court, through the Adult Probation Services Division and the Juvenile Probation Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

Seven of Arizona's fifteen counties have combined Adult and Juvenile Probation Departments. These departments, and the eight separate Adult departments, report to a Chief Probation Officer. The Chief Probation Officer reports to the Presiding Judge of the Superior court for that county.

In those counties with separate juvenile probation departments, the departments report to the Director of Juvenile Court Services, who, in turn, reports to the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge of the Superior Court of that county.

Adult and juvenile probation and surveillance officers have the option to request to be authorized to carry a firearm. These officers, whether or not they carry a firearm, have the authority of a Peace Officer in the performance of their duties.

On the adult side, officers statutorily have authority to serve warrants, make arrests, and bring persons before the court who are under suspended sentences.

On the juvenile side, as authorized by the juvenile court and as provided by statute, officers of the court have the authority of a peace officer in the performance of their duties. The Arizona Judicial Council recently clarified that the duties of juvenile probation officers shall include serving warrants, make arrests, and bring persons before the court who are under suspended sentences.

The Chief Probation Officer or Director of Juvenile Court Services may require that certain job assignments are staffed by an armed officer; shall determine when officers authorized to carry a firearm are restricted from carrying in certain job assignments or in the performance of certain duties; and shall not order a staff member to be armed. They may require the transfer of an unarmed officer to another job assignment if the current assignment requires an armed officer.

All officer safety requirements, firearms requirements and training standards are prescribed in the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration. All officers with probationer supervision responsibilities are provided 8 hours of safety orientation within 30 days of appointment, are required to successfully complete 20 hours of safety related training included in the curriculum of the Certification Academy, and are required to successfully complete the 40 hour Defensive Tactics Academy, which provides training in the continuum of control up to, but not including, firearm training. Only those officers requesting firearms training or requesting authorization to carry a firearm on duty, and approved by their respective Chief/Director, are eligible to participate in the 40 hour Firearm Training Academy and range qualification. Additionally, officers requesting authorization to carry a firearm must also agree to random drug testing and successfully complete a psychological evaluation prior to participation. Effective January 1, 2004, all new officer applicants are required to successfully complete a psychological evaluation prior to hiring. Some departments also require polygraph testing, both for current officers requesting arming authorization and all new officer applicants. Successful completion of the initial Firearm Training Academy and range qualification is required to complete the authorization process. Annual refresher qualification in Defensive Tactics, firearm practice and formal firearm re-qualification are all required to maintain the authorization to carry a firearm. Departments vary in their requirements for the utilization of body armor, firearm concealment and the carrying of OC Spray and expandable batons either in conjunction with, or independent of, carrying a firearm.

Officers carry Glock .40 caliber models 22, 23 and 27. Purchase of the initial issue of firearms, based on department requests, was made centrally by the AOC. On-going and replacement purchases are now the responsibility of the individual departments. 

There are no private companies providing adult or juvenile probation supervision.

Juvenile Parole

Juvenile parole officers are under the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, which is in the executive branch of state government.

Juvenile parole officers do not carry firearms. They have limited peace officer status and are allowed to arrest or take into custody juveniles for which they have a warrant.

There is no policy or statute that prohibits officers from carrying a firearm.

At the time of the survey it was not under consideration to allow the officers to carry a firearm.

There are no private companies providing juvenile parole supervision services in Arizona.

Adult Parole

The Division of Community Corrections, Arizona Department of Corrections, provides adult community supervision, which is within the Executive Branch of state government.

In April of 2001, the Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) authorized parole officers to arm under the provisions of the Arizona Statute for Carrying Concealed Weapons (CCW). The CCW Statute authorizes citizens of the State of Arizona to carry a concealed firearm provided the individual meets the requirements of the Statute. Parole officers do not possess peace officer powers but do have the statutory authority to arrest offenders on community supervision. Parole officers have the option to arm for the purpose of self-protection. Psychological testing is done prior to the officer carrying a firearm.

Prior to optional arming for parole officers, the ADC had specific job classifications, which required the employee to be peace officer certified including Special Investigations Officers. Correctional Series Officers are statutorily authorized to arm depending upon their duty assignments.

Prior to being authorized to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to the CCW Statute, the parole officer must complete the Department approved Carry Concealed Weapons training curriculum. Annual firearm re-qualifications are required.

The Department provides a 9mm firearm and all necessary equipment for parole officers who are authorized to carry a concealed firearm.

There are no private companies providing adult parole supervision.

For updates or corrections to the information on this page, please contact: Diane Kincaid