BY JASON COHEN
With more than two dozen
of their members testing positive
for COVID-19, the head
of the Probation Offi cers
Union is still in the offi ce
most days.
The union representing
Probation Offi cers in
NYC recently moved from
Forest Hills in Queens to
Westchester Square, and is
led by Dalvanie Powell, a
native of the Bronx, who is
the fi rst African American
woman to serve as president
of the United Probation Offi -
cers Association.
“Moving to the Bronx
was a fresh start,” Powell
said. “I’m glad we made the
move.”
In 1990 she was elected as
a delegate by her fellow members
and has since held every
position in the union except
treasurer. She was appointed
president in 2016 and in 2019,
ran unopposed and was
elected to a four-year term.
The UPOA represents over
800 Supervising Probation
Offi cers and Probation Offi -
cers as well as over 400 retirees,
which are mostly women
and women of color.
“It’s about trying to keep
individuals out of the prison
system,” Powell said. “It’s law
enforcement absolutely.”
The union has been distributing
personal protective
equipment (PPE) to all
its members and is preparing
to start working with folks
released from Rikers Island
amid the pandemic. So far a total
of 30 union members have
tested positive for COVID-19.
While their offi ce is closed,
they have been distributing
food and supplies to the public.
Powell said this is an unprecedented
and the members
are checking in on their clients
virtually to make sure
they are staying on the right
path.
“I have to commend my
members for adjusting,” she
said. “I try to keep my members
as updated as possible.”
BRONX TIMES R 18 EPORTER, MAY 15-21, 2020 BTR
With 26 locations across
fi ve boroughs and countless
clients on probation, she has
her hands full, especially now
during the crisis.
They help them get educated,
obtain their GEDs,
land jobs, housing, get mental
health help and any other type
of guidance that is needed.
She also noted that people
often confuse parole and probation.
People get probation
to avoid incarceration, while
parole is for people when they
leave prison, she explained.
Powell added that maybe if
there were more community
centers and YMCAs and less
liquor stores in the Bronx,
there might be less crime.
With two YMCAS coming
to the Bronx this year, she
hopes things will change.
“We do everything we can
to keep people out of jail,” Powell
commented. “We should
appreciate life and what we
have. That’s the beautiful
thing, we are about changing
lives and protecting lives.”
Dalvanie Powell, a native of the Bronx, who is the fi rst African American
woman to serve as president of the United Probation Offi cers Association
Photo courtesy of Dalvanie Powell,
Probation offi cers move
to Westchester Square