TKC BREAKING NEWS!!! JACKSON COUNTY JAIL DIRECTOR RESIGNS!!!



Joe Piccinini has finally decided to step down amid stubborn support from Exec Frank White, two assaults against guards in recent weeks and increasing calls for change from the Legislature.

Here's the note: 

Jackson County Executive accepts resignation of Department of Corrections Director



KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. announced today that Joe Piccinini has resigned as Director of the Department of Corrections.

“I am grateful for Joe’s service to Jackson County and the Department of Corrections. He accepted responsibility of our operations in the midst of an ongoing FBI investigation, with staff making a starting wage 38% below the market rate and what we would later learn, a facility in need of $150 million in repairs,” White said. “But, at this point, Joe does not want to be a distraction because his priority is to fix the problem and ensure our corrections facility reaches the level of excellence our staff, inmates and community deserve. I respect his judgement and regretfully accept his resignation.”

Piccinini was appointed to serve as the director of corrections by former County Executive Mike Sanders in December 2015. Prior to that, he served as the Chief of Police for the Lee’s Summit Police Department, where he spent more than 30 years cultivating a career of public service by working up the departmental ranks.



Following the County Executive’s appointment, Mr. Piccinini stayed on and helped oversee significant improvements to the facility and operations of the Jackson County Detention Center. Improvements include significant infrastructure repairs, improved training for corrections officers and increasing corrections officers’ wages.

“I’ve been honored to serve Jackson County during a critical time of change for one of its most essential functions,” Piccinini said. “I commend the County Executive for his steadfast leadership to get things done. I couldn’t be more proud to work with men and women who have made great sacrifices in the name of progress for the betterment of our community.”

Effective immediately, Diana Turner will serve as the acting director of corrections.



She became the deputy director two months ago, but has devoted her life to a career to public safety that has spanned the municipal, state and federal levels. She most recently served as Director of Residential Services for the Jackson County Family Court. During her tenure, the two juvenile detention facilities for which she was responsible achieved reaccreditation. Both are positioned to successfully pass an American Correctional Association (ACA) audit in 2018.

Captain Isaac Johnston will step in as the acting deputy director of corrections. His public safety career includes serving as the warden of two facilities, including the Leavenworth Detention Center, which houses maximum security inmates. The other was a Correctional Treatment Facility in Washington, D.C.



“Diana and Isaac, combined, have more than 50 years of experience in corrections,” White said. “Both work hard to form relationships with staff and inmates to establish a culture of respect. I have complete confidence in their ability to be effective leaders, while we conduct a nationwide search for a new director.”
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NEWS LINK UPDATE AFTER TKC . . .

KCUR: Pressure from the county legislature was not a factor, White said. “No, that didn’t put any pressure on me. I said in the Legislative meeting that I had full confidence in Joe and his staff and that carried through until we had a conversation and he just thought that was the best thing to do, to go with new leadership and move forward,” White said.

Fox4: Three days ago, Jackson County legislators demanded White take action to prevent corrections officers from being attacked again by prisoners inside the detention center.

KMBC: "Both Joe and I agree the corrections department needed new leadership," White said. White said there would be a nationwide search for a director of corrections.

Developing . . .

Comments

  1. So, obviously Frank was not being completely forthright when he said that the director had his full confidence and support. I guess he thought about it for a while and sticking by the guy really didn't make sense.

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    1. ^^^ Give it a rest. At least there is some change here. If Executive White reversed course than he deserves even more credit for at least doing the right thing.

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    2. They still need a new jail.

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    3. @ Real KC,

      You can't be serious!

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  2. At this point, it's almost like switching chairs on the Titanic. Superman himself couldn't clean up that jail. And if we build a new one, we're looking at handing it over to a lot of the same people who screwed it up in the first place.

    I would've been more impressed if we started talking about a state or federal takeover. This move is nice but without real change in the SYSTEM for managing the jail, it's nothing but window dressing.

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  3. That this guy wasn't FUCKING FIRE! months ago makes Frank White look pathetically weak.

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  4. ^^^^ They should have let the guy go MONTHS ago. A real leader would've done something sooner.

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  5. Hey, maybe he can run KCMO Animal Control. The inmates there are more intelligent and obedient.

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  6. HOLY FUCK! You'd think Frank's PR staff could have come up with a less obvious bullshit quote for Joe Piccinini than than that crap about Frank's "steadfast leadership." Were they going for LOL?

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  7. Love the look on those guards'faces during the press conf., completely grim. All the while, the new director couldn't stop grinning so awkwardly.

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  8. looks like a weight watchers ad.

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  9. Joe was a good cop and good people when he was at Lee's Summit. Some guys are ground pounders and some guys are leaders. Running that jail is going to be a shit sandwich for anybody who takes the job.

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  10. I changed my mind and kicked Joe to the curb. I am so damn smart. I love me.

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  11. TRUTH @4:50 - Thank you for some REASON on this subject!

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  12. What a joke of a county.

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  13. Remember Kwanza is Dec.26-Jan.1st. Shop early and shop often. Every kiss and Kwanza begins with "K".

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  14. Locals been talking people disappeared
    After being picked up off the street.

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  15. hmmm the Department Of Corrections - I assume it is designed to correct criminals into being productive citizens, looks like the DOC needs a higher

    DOC, People in Government are the real criminals, they cant fix shit, but they sure are good at filling their pockets with money and sex scandals, where is the honor and accountability with these rain drinkers?

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  16. how you mother fuckers come up with cost estimates is hysterical. Imagine 150 million dollar homes and somehow you all could throw that much money in that building and not see a difference.

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  17. So, which is it, Frank "regretfully accepted" the resignation, or he and Joe agreed "the corrections department needed new leadership"?

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  18. If nothing else, we now know Frank White is a big old liar. The pressure from the Legislature had nothing to do with this? Is that what you're telling us Frank?

    Frank keeps saying he's not a politician. I guess he ain't. A politician would be a better liar than this.

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  19. This needed to be done. Even if Frank had to back track. There should be change at the jail NOW! It needs to be taken care of quickly before anyone else gets hurt.

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  20. County Legislature needs to take the next step and take control of the jail away from Frank White, an ex-baseball for Christ's sake, and put it under the Sheriff where it should have always been.

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  21. @ 9:36 This is just typical Frank White, leading from behind.

    Now he'll want credit for making this change, after the Legislators had to browbeat him to do it. It's just like last year when he wanted credit for the COMBAT tax getting renewed and that Children's Fund getting started. He did nothing to support either of those things, but he sure did grab the credit after the voters approved them.

    I wonder if he'll let the Prosecutor, Sheriff and Legislators help pick a new Corrections Director or freeze them out like he tried to when naming a COMBAT director.


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  22. This change only took FOUR MONTHS after the meeting when the county was told the "jail is in crisis." That would be the meeting when the consultant the county hired said shit like "this should be addressed as quickly as possible," and called the situation in the jail "immoral." That would be the meeting Frank White couldn't be bothered to attend.

    Jackson County jail is in 'crisis,' consultant tells legislators in special meeting

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  23. So, Frank wins the next election by 7 points instead of 10. Sorry Dan, you missed your chance.

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  24. Bet they're arresting people and flying them out of the US.

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  25. 12:47 Frank wins, the county loses. It's not just the jail he f'ing up.

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  26. You just gotta love Missouri. Here we are conducting a nation wide search for teh chief jail screw, but for police chief we just take teh next local yokel in line.

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  27. Kansas City is # 3 in the US for police murder.

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  28. One of many reasons to ovoid Jackson County.

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