By C1 Staff
LINCOLN, Neb. – The former prisons director is set to retire effective March 6.
Mike Kenney is being replaced by Scott Frakes, who took over leadership of the department Feb. 2, according to the Journal Star. Kenney will stay on for a brief transition period.
Kenney was department director from Sept. 2013 to Feb. 1. He has worked for the state since 1977, and has served a number of positions within the department, including warden, deputy warden, superintendent, unit administrator, case manager, parole officer and rehabilitation counselor.
Kenney released a statement about his departure, saying it had been an honor to serve as the director of the Department of Corrections, “even given these troublesome times.”
Kenney took over the department from Bob Houston in 2013 and spent much of his time trying to clean up messes the department had gotten itself into because of prison overcrowding, questionable policies and practices, and blunders by a number of managers in the department.