New Lackawanna County prison investigator out after less than a month
Sep. 26—The Lackawanna County Prison's new internal investigator is gone after fewer than three weeks on the job.
The county Prison Board made Joseph Harris' departure official last week by voting "not to retain" him. In an email, county spokesman Joe D'Arienzo said Harris no longer worked for the county as of Aug. 21.
His start date was Aug. 2, according to the hiring approval form signed by commissioners Jerry Notarianni and Chris Chermak.
Warden Tim Betti declined to discuss the reason for Harris' sudden departure, calling it a personnel matter. Efforts to reach Betti later to determine if he plans to replace Harris were unsuccessful.
Harris declined to comment.
The board voted July 19 to hire Harris to oversee internal affairs — investigating allegations of wrongdoing by prison guards and other staff and allegations of inmate wrongdoing. His salary was $70,000.
"He's going to do gang work, where he's identifying and verifying gang membership," Betti said at the time. "And he's going to be working with various police agencies. We always have contact with police agencies, because, unfortunately, say we have two inmates get into a fight. If it raises to the level of a criminal offense of assault, we have to call in (police). Well, he's going to be our kind of point man on that situation."
Harris worked as a Scranton police officer for 15 years and co-owned Roll Call, a Scranton gun sales shop with a shooting range and training center between 2017 and 2020, according to his resume.
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