Lutzow named permanent parole chief

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 9:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Warren Lutzow, who has been with the state Division of Parole and Probation since 1976, has been named chief of the agency that supervises convicts released from prison and those placed on probation by the courts.

Lutzow, who has been acting chief, will become permanent in the job that pays $80,000 a year. He succeeds Carlos Concha, who resigned about a year ago.

The appointment was announced Wednesday by Richard Kirkland, director of the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety.

Kirkland said Lutzow has "excellent law enforcement insight and experience" and his appointment will be beneficial to the entire criminal justice system.

The division has a staff of about 480 people but has had a major turnover in the last four years. As a result, each officer is supervising an average of 125 persons instead of the 70 suggested by the Legislature.

A 1999 legislative audit said the division had "difficulty in meeting its responsibility to protect the public" since the criminal offenders were not supervised according to standards established by the agency. And the division did not collect $900,000 in fees from offenders to offset the cost of supervision.

Lutzow started as a parole and probation officer and was promoted through the ranks.