Latimer Appoints Corrections Officials

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester County Executive George Latimer has named Joseph K. Spano as commissioner and Louis A. Molina as first deputy commissioner of the Department of Corrections. Both bring a lifetime of experience, and diverse backgrounds, to the leadership positions, according to a spokesman.

Latimer said both men are serious and are taking on a serious job.

“Both Joe and Lou will work to make the Westchester County Jail a nationwide model facility,” Latimer said. “I look forward to working with them, and our entire Corrections staff, to solve the unique challenges that face a jail of our size.”

For the past eight years, Spano has served in the private sector with roles aimed to improve the development and strategic planning of New York State jails. Previously, he served the County of Westchester — beginning as a Corrections Officer in 1982 and eventually spending nearly two years as the commissioner of the Department of Corrections from August 2008 to Jan. 2010.

During his time as commissioner, he directly oversaw the overall operation of the second largest county jail in New York. This included coordination and evaluation of all programs, management of a $130 million budget and providing direction for programs to improve inmate health, training, treatment and educational courses.

Molina, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, comes to Westchester County after serving New York City and the U.S government in numerous leadership roles. Beginning as a New York City police officer, Molina has spent his career working to provide safety to all of the organizations and people he has represented. This includes time as a senior police advisor and instructor in Puebla, Mexico, for the Department of State and assistant director and campus operational readiness transition manager for New York University’s Abu Dhabi Campus.

Most recently, Molina served the people of New York City as first deputy chief of the TLC’s Enforcement Division, and chief internal monitor and acting assistant commissioner Nunez Compliance Unit of the New York City Department of Correction. In these agency executive cabinet roles, Molina brought his specialized training to improve the agencies he was assigned.

Photo caption: From left, Louis A. Molina, Joseph K. Spano, George Latimer and Ken Jenkins. Photo credit: Westchester County.