NORWICH – Laureen Clarke, director of the probation department in Chenango County, will be retiring at the end of September after 30 years of service in the area. According to Clarke, her decision to retire was made years ago and the transition to a new director should be made smoothly.
Clarke’s time as director saw many changes to the system, she said. Back in the 1990s, the county was having problems with overcrowding in the jails. In order to remedy the situation, an electronic monitoring system was instituted as well as an alternative to incarceration program, said Clarke.
“We were one of the first counties to have an electronic monitoring system in the state,” said Clarke. She also inherited a pre-trial release program that proved not to be cost efficient and was therefore changed to a substance abuse program, she said. The biggest issue the probation department dealt with, she said, was dealing with the regularly added state mandates in a cost efficient way for the county and implementing them with as little cost to the taxpayers as possible.
“She also did a great job at working under tremendous financial and staff restrictions in addition to the physical space restrictions during her tenure,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride, who has been working with Clarke for the past 20 years. “She always worked hard to make sure her charges were supervised properly ... balanced community supervision with community safety ... she will be missed.”
The probation department is one of the smallest in the county with only 11 full-time employees, including the position of director. According to personnel director Bonnie Carrier, the department is advertising right now for a new director and notices have been sent to 57 counties around the state.
According to Carrier, the state defines the minimum qualifications for a probation director which includes a minimum of three years working a supervisory or administrative position in a New York state probation department.
“I’ve achieved everything I’ve set out to do,” said Clarke. “The groundwork has been laid for the department to move forward and for there to be a smooth transition.”
According to Clarke, there are still many options open for her during retirement. A few of these include going back to school for her masters degree in criminal justice and teaching at a community college, or possibly traveling.
“I have a lot of hobbies and interests,” said Clarke. “I also have grandchildren and want to devote myself to them and my family.”
Clarke’s final day with the probation department will be Sept. 30.