The Los Angeles County Probation Department wants a judge to reject the state’s proposed takeover of its juvenile facilities and to instead grant the agency its own powers to “slash through staffing and regulatory knots” preventing it from addressing an ongoing staffing shortage, according to court filings.

The Department of Justice is seeking the appointment of a receiver who would have full control over the hiring and firing of personnel as well as force the renegotiation of contracts with the unions and be able to petition the court to waive any “law, regulation, or contractual obligation” hindering its reforms.

“Among those ‘tools’ are plenary personnel authority, unlimited budget authority (despite the County’s historic current budget crisis), the ability to unilaterally build new f

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