Allegheny County Jail Warden Orlando Harper will retire at the end of September.
Today's announcement from County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says Harper has more than 35 years in corrections, 11 of them as warden at the county jail.
“I have been honored to serve in this role for over a decade and am announcing my retirement with mixed feelings,” said Harper. “When I first accepted this position in 2012, my intent was to remain here through the end of this administration.
While that’s just a few months away, circumstances have changed with my family and, because of that, I’ve moved that end date up.”
“I have always preferred to let actions speak louder than words—sometimes to my detriment,” said Harper. “Regardless of the public narrative about the jail, I’ve seen first-hand the great work done here every day. This dedicated staff has saved and improved countless lives. I’m proud of the work that they’ve done, and the progress that we’ve made together, and thank them for their dedication and commitment to the people we serve each day.”
A search firm will be hired to find a new warden and will be asked to set up public meetings for residents to give their input on the type of person to be selected.
The last search took well over a year.