Press Releases

The N.C. Department of Public Safety recently recognized Division of Prisons ground supervisor Michael Hall as an Employee of the Year. “Michael went above and beyond the call of duty and I am proud to honor him with this award,’’ said Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter. “He is a valuable veteran employee whose career embodies dedication and professionalism.” The Employee of the Year awards were given near the conclusion of a two-day leadership workshop attended by more than 150 executive-level leaders in the prison system on Feb. 18-19.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA), which pays for hotel or motel rooms as short-term, emergency sheltering for eligible Hurricane Florence survivors ends Tuesday, March 12.  To date 871 households have sheltered in TSA participating hotels, 646 have found suitable, longer-term housing and moved on with their recovery. As of Feb. 24, 225 households remain checked in to hotels.

The N.C. Department of Public Safety recently recognized correctional officer Brittany Splant as an Employee of the Year. “Brittany has been with us only a short time, but she has made quite an impact already,’’ said Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter. “Her quick thinking and fast response in a medical emergency was exemplary. I expect more great things from her in the years to come.” The Employee of the Year awards were given near the conclusion of a two-day leadership workshop attended by more than 150 executive-level leaders in the prison system on Feb. 18-19.

The N.C. Department of Public Safety recently recognized Division of Prisons administrator Dennis Daniels as an Employee of the Year. “Dennis is a true professional whose entire career shows his dedication to the agency,’’ said Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter. “His leadership, experience and steady hand was a blessing in difficult times. I am happy to honor him with this well-deserved award.”

The State Highway Patrol honored 55 sworn and 11 civilian members today during a promotional ceremony held at Colonial Baptist Church in Cary. The ceremony began with an invocation offered by Pastor Steve Stadtmiller followed by the singing of the National Anthem by Trp. Joey Garrett.  Offering welcome and remarks to those in attendance, Colonel Glenn McNeill Jr. spoke of the expectations required by each individual rank.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Anthony Wilde as the new superintendent at Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville. He replaces Marty Galloway, who retired on Jan. 1. Wilde, 49, had been the Assistant Superintendent of Custody/Operations at the facility since 2016.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Cynthia Thornton as the new Region Director for the Central Region with an office in Raleigh. Thornton, 50, had been the facility administrator at Harnett Correctional Institution since 2013 where she was responsible for the overall operations at the facility, including offender custody, facility security, food service, medical, maintenance, educational services and other programs. In her new position, Thornton provides oversight to the region’s 15 correctional institutions.

State correctional officers and local law enforcement are seeking Rutherford Correctional Center minimum custody inmate Jeremy Keith Fincannon (#1384359), who was determined to be missing after a 7:30 a.m. routine count of offenders on Thursday. 

Help is now available for local governments working to recover from Hurricane Florence, with more than $7 million in grants and loans already provided, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) has launched two programs to assist local governments that are struggling financially in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

The N.C. Department of Public Safety honored a dozen Division of Prisons staff members today in their individual fields as Employees of the Year for their exemplary work or generous acts that benefited the agency and their communities. “These are remarkable individuals who exemplify the dedication and professionalism of the agency,’’ said Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter. “They are special people. Some may be future leaders of the agency. Some have made a huge difference in just a few months.”