New chief of parole agency named

Thomas replaces Carlos Concha, who left the $80,000-a-year job in December, after 25 years with the agency.

Thomas, named by state Motor Vehicles and Public Safety Director John Drew, joined the DMV in 1989 after 10 years with the Reno Police Department.

His DMV assignments included acting assistant enforcement bureau chief, registration division chief and, since December, deputy chief of Parole and Probation.

In leaving the agency, Concha said he wanted to take advantage of an offer in the golfing business and that his decision had nothing to do with criticism of his agency for lax oversight.

A legislative audit released last October said former inmates, some of them violent or sex offenders who were paroled from state prison, had only moderate or no supervision.

While the agency had a poor record, the audit said its costs were among the highest in the West. The audit was for 1998.

Parole officials said part of the problem stemmed from a turnover in management. Since 1993, there were three division chiefs - not counting Thomas - and a high turnover of district administrators in the agency.

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