Mondfrans appointed interim chief probation officer
- Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Superior Court reported that an interim chief probation officer has been named to succeed Rob Howe, appointed this week by the Board of Supervisors to be sheriff.
Presiding Judge J. David Markham has appointed Wendy Mondfrans as interim chief probation officer, while a recruitment process for a permanent replacement can be conducted.
Mondfrans said she’s excited for the opportunity to lead the Probation Department.
“The Department is filled with dedicated staff and probation officers who have a strong commitment to community safety and helping those involved with the justice system to change their lives,” she said in an email to Lake County News. “Working with them every day is an honor and a privilege!”
She said she plans to pursue the job on a permanent basis.
Howe’s appointment to succeed Sheriff Brian Martin, who is retiring, will take effect on Jan. 2, at which point Mondrans will take over the Probation Department.
Howe had served as chief probation officer since March 2012, following 19 years with the sheriff’s office.
“The Court would like to thank Chief Howe for his leadership over the last 10 years. He has
successfully led the Probation Department through many significant changes in the law,” the court said in a written statement issued on Thursday afternoon.
Mondfrans has worked for Probation since 2010. She has held several positions including deputy probation officer, senior, chief deputy probation officer and, most recently, assistant chief probation officer since January 2018.
Before her work with Probation, Mondfrans was a practicing attorney.
The Probation Department says on its website that its mission “is to continually improve the quality of community life by enhancing public safety, by assisting victims with restoration and by offering the hope of a more productive lifestyle for offenders.”
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