The former head of the FBI's Las Vegas organized crime and drug units has been named Nevada Public Safety director.
George Togliatti, 57, will be paid $107,433 for overseeing the highway patrol, emergency management, fire marshal, division of investigation, parole and probation, parole and probation and other public safety divisions in the state.
Dave Kieckbusch, who has been acting director since May 1 when Dick Kirkland retired for health reasons, will return to his position as deputy director.
Togliatti served 23 years with the FBI, retiring as a supervisory special agent after managing the organized crime and drug units in Las Vegas. He was recognized as an expert on gaming and organized crime and also supervised anti-white-collar crime efforts for the bureau's Southern Nevada office.
Before joining the FBI, he was a Navy aviator who served in Vietnam. He has a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in criminal justice.
Since retiring from the FBI, he has worked for two casino corporations. He was vice president of corporate security, government and community relations for Caesar's World Inc. before moving to Harrah's Entertainment Inc., where he was regional vice president of government, community relations and regulatory compliance until appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn.
Guinn said the state is fortunate to have Togliatti as head of public safety. "He is very well established in our own law enforcement community and is nationally respected."
The governor also thanked Kieckbusch for overseeing operations of the department for the past seven months as acting director.
Contact Geoff Dornan at nevadaappeal@sbcglobal.net or 687-8750.