Allen Beard Jr.
Trousdale Turner Correctional Center has a new warden — the eighth to lead the state’s largest notoriously dangerous prison in the nine years since it opened, and the third this year.
Private prison operator CoreCivic announced Sept. 6 the appointment of Allen Beard Jr. as senior warden. Beard replaces Guy Bosch, who was named warden in April after then-warden Vince Vantell was placed on administrative leave and soon resigned. Though no reason was given for Vantell’s resignation, he has faced numerous lawsuits alleging a failure to address violence in the prison and homophobia and racism toward his co-workers. Bosch will assume a leadership role at CoreCivic headquarters, according to a release from the company.
Beard is a U.S. Air Force veteran and former director of the security threats and intelligence unit at the Tennessee Department of Correction. He also previously worked at the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Legal complaints cite civil rights violations, understaffing and mismanagement at facilities run by the massive Brentwood-based operator
Trousdale Turner is a 2,500-plus-bed prison for men in Hartsville that opened in 2016. It has come under scrutiny in recent years due to its reputation of prison deaths, riots, assaults, mismanagement, high staff turnover and a pending investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“We’re confident that this seasoned leadership team will bring the stability, accountability and operational excellence expected by our partners and the community,” CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger says in the release. “Their experience will be instrumental in creating a better environment for both staff and inmates while improving outcomes that reduce recidivism.”
CoreCivic announced in August that Hininger would be leaving the company at the end of the year, with Patrick Swindle replacing him as CEO. No reason has been given for Hininger’s departure.
Two new assistant wardens were also named at Trousdale Turner: Paul Gagliardi and Patti Landon.
Late last month, CoreCivic opened a candidate processing center in Hartsville, the aim of which is to speed up the hiring process at Trousdale Turner. The company also says it has seen an increase in hiring since increasing the hourly pay for correctional officers to $24.62 in July. The release also reports improvements to Trousdale Turner’s attorney-client meeting spaces and planned renovations to the visitation area.
