I would guess that most people probably wouldn't do that but maybe you want to call the officer ahead and make sure he/she can offer a solid referral.

I agree with Lee Hurst. The only exception is to let them know you welcome them to contact your PO "IF" it comes up in an interview. Also, check with your local court house about the question of arrests or convictions, some municipalities no longer allow employers to ask about this on their apps.

My old PO is real cool but i would never use him as a ref for a job. Puts too many eye on things managers might not be looking for.

Being upfront about a past conviction is always smart especially if you apply to jobs who have gone public as felony freindly. I would not use a parole officer as a refernce on a job application or resume, because that would trigger a call which could ask questions with unpredictable results. I'd rather ask the officer to provide a letter of recomendation you could submit with your application.

I don't think that's a good idea. It puts way to much focus on your problems with the law.