HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-090~esoiu~ion
RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN WARDELL UPON RETIREMENT FROM THE
BUTTE COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT
WHEREAS, John Wardell, Chief Probation Officer for the Butte County Probation Department
(Probation), has announced his retirement as of August 31, 201 l; and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell began his career with Probation in the Butte County Juvenile Hall in May,
19$2, as a Juvenile Hall Counselor and has worked in nearly every assignment within Probation,
including Court Investigations, Field Supervision and BINTF. In 198$, he became Coordinator for the
Victim Witness program in Butte County. He was promoted to Supervising Probation Officer in
February, 1989; and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell left Butte County Probation in July, 1997 to accept the Chief Probation
Officer position with Nevada County, all the while maintaining his residence in Butte County. In July,
2002 he returned to Butte County to become Chief Probation Officer. A position from which he sadly,
but deservedly retires on August 31, 2011 with over twenty nine years of public service; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, Chief Wardell was named Probation Officer of the Year in Butte County by a vote
of Butte County Probation Department personnel. The naming of the Chief Probation Officer as
Probation Officer of the Year was a testament to the overwhelming support he was able to achieve within
the department in a relatively short amount of time. Eight years after receiving this award, Chief Wardell
continues to share the overwhelming support of the Butte County Probation Department; and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell is directly responsible for the implementation of the highly successful Minor
Adjustments Program and the Boys & Girls Club Re-Entry Program located inside the Butte County
Juvenile Hall. At the time of development, it was one of only two such programs throughout the State of
California; and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell's focus during his tenure has been on intervention, prevention, and
suppression of both adult and juvenile offenders, to include evidence-based supervision and practices;
and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell has worked closely with local judges, the County Administrative Officer,
and the Board of Supervisors, as well as other law enforcement agencies, schools, and community
organizations to promote accountability and rehabilitation within the community. He has also served on
numerous State and local committees. In 2043, he was appointed by Chief Justice Ronald George to the
Probation Services Task Force. Currently, Chief Wardell serves as the Chair of the local Juvenile Justice
Council, and most recently the Chair of the Community Corrections Partnership which oversees local
realignment of the criminal justice system, pursuant to Assembly Bill 109; and
WHEREAS, Chief Wardell will be relinquishing daily meetings, endless paperwork, and responding to
thousands of emails, in exchange for spending time with his wife Helen and dog Lucy, walking on the
dam, Chief Wardell can now sleep peacefully knowing his son Jeremy recently completed his graduate
degree with no further associated costs. Additionally, he will no longer be disturbed in the middle of the
night by phone calls from Accularm, to report the inevitable false alarm at the Butte County Probation
Department building.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board, on its own behalf and on behalf of the
citizens of Butte County, extends its appreciation for your many years of dedicated service.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors in a meeting
thereof held on the 23rd day of Flu ust 2011 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Connelly, Wahl, Kirk, Yamaguchi. and Chair Lambert
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
NOT VOTING: None
Steve Lamb hair
Butte Caun oard of Supervisors
ATTEST:
Paa~ Hahn, Chief A mini
And the Cle crl~f . e B~+
By: i ~ ~.fA~/ ~ ~~il ~/1~ •~