Edward Jay Heitz knows a tough job when he sees one.

        He's kept watch over federal criminals. He's managed huge budgets and government contracts. And he's fought for his life as an Army sergeant in Vietnam.

        He is pretty sure he can handle his new job as Hamilton County's chief probation officer. He starts Thursday.

Heitz

        “I think I deal with stress pretty well,” he said. “I've learned to handle pressure.”

        His ability to remain calm under fire will be an asset. The probation chief's job is one of the most challenging in county government because the chief must answer to 30 judges.

        Mr. Heitz also will have to manage 100 employees, many of whom had rebelled against their last boss.

        For most of last year, the department has been wracked by morale problems, personality clashes and mismanagement. Fourteen officers were disciplined for failing to do court-ordered drug tests on criminals.

        “That job is indeed a challenge for anyone. I wish him well,” said Common Pleas Judge Thomas Crush, a member of the committee that recommended Mr. Heitz.

        Mr. Heitz spent 20 years as a federal probation officer before retiring in 1996. He monitored felons, conducted audits and managed dozens of drug treatment programs. His experience set him apart from the other 35 applicants for the chief's job.

        “I am a probation officer. I know what the line officer is going through,” Mr. Heitz said. “It's an advantage when you can come in and relate to the work being done.”

        Mr. Heitz is replacing Michael Snowden, who resigned after an ugly spat with his officers and some judges over changes he was making in the office.

        The probation staff openly rebelled against Mr. Snowden last summer, claiming the former Cincinnati police chief didn't understand what probation officers do.

        Mr. Heitz said he wants to meet with the officers and get a feel for the department before making any big changes.

        “I'm not going in there with a machete,” he said.

        Instead, Mr. Heitz said, he wants to work with the staff to make the department more efficient.

        He said probation officers have a tough job. They each must monitor dozens — and sometimes more than 100 — criminals who have been released into the community.

        Mr. Heitz said he'd like to develop a better way to classify those offenders so officers can decide which ones need the most supervision. He also said he will consider setting up cross-training programs to allow county and federal probation officers to exchange ideas.

        But he realizes any changes could be met with skepticism and even some resistance.

        “Anytime you have a change, everyone is apprehensive,” he said. “I think it's going to be a challenging position.”

        The challenge seemed so big last fall that Mr. Heitz hesitated for weeks before finally deciding to apply for the job.

        Already retired and collecting a government pension, he didn't need the $64,000 salary to survive. At 54, he was leading a comfortable life in Anderson Township with his wife and two children.

        But he missed his work in probation. “I like helping people,” he said. “When you actually see (offenders) being successful, when you've had a hand in it, it's satisfying.”

        Mr. Heitz said he doesn't want to dwell on the department's problems. Over the years, he said, he has learned to deal with the stress brought on by a difficult job.

        Nowhere was that stress more severe than in Vietnam, where he rose quickly from private to sergeant because so many fellow soldiers had been killed.

        The probation department will be hard-pressed to match that kind of pressure.

        “I've had a lot of different experiences,” Mr. Heitz said. “I hope I can bring them all together in this job.”
       

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