October 29th, 2026
Former Director Burns served as both Chief Probation Officer and Director of Public Safety during his four-decade career in public service
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Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and leadership from the Monroe County Department of Public Safety today dedicated a probation officer training room in City Place in honor of former Monroe County Director of Public Safety Robert J. Burns. Former Director Burns was also awarded a Certificate of Recognition from County Executive Bello to mark his decades of leadership and service to Monroe County.
“Robert Burns’ devotion to the betterment of his community led to a successful public service career that spanned four decades,” said County Executive Bello. “With today’s dedication, every probation officer who utilizes this training room will be reminded of Robert’s enduring commitment to the safety and security of Monroe County.”
Robert Burns began his career as a probation officer for Albany County, earning the rank of Deputy Probation Director. He relocated to Rochester, where he was appointed Chief Probation Officer in 1991, a role he would hold for 25 years leading one of the largest probation departments in New York State. Following his success as Chief Probation Officer, Burns was appointed to serve as the Monroe County Director of Public Safety in 2016.
Throughout his career, Burns launched several initiatives to modernize the county’s criminal justice programs and encourage greater regional collaboration. As Chief Probation Officer, Burns launched and managed the Finger Lakes Regional Youth Justice Team, a 12-county partnership designed to standardize youth detention policies throughout the region. He is also recognized as having improved integration between probation officers, local law enforcement, and the Monroe Crime Analysis Center, and was tasked with overseeing the county’s compliance frameworks within local diversion courts.
As Director of Public Safety, Burns streamlined training practices, grant management, and workflows by modernizing the department’s safety infrastructure.
Burns has been recognized statewide for his public service, serving as the past President of the New York State Council of Probation Administrators and past Vice President of the New York State Probation Officers Association. In 2025, he was honored with a legacy award from the Council of Probation Administrators.
County Executive Bello explained that the training room is used by Monroe County probation officers and that dedicating the room in Robert Burns’ honor, recognizes the impact he made during his decades of service within the Monroe County Department of Public Safety.
