Joe Piccinini

Joe Piccinini has served as a respected officer of the Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Police Department (LSPD) for the past 25 years, and has resided in the city he proudly serves since 1966. His service has included traffic officer, detective, community interaction officer/public information officer, sergeant assigned to patrol, special investigations unit and juvenile investigations unit, watch commander assigned to patrol, Operations Division Major, Interim Chief of Police and on January 23, 2008, was named Chief of Police. 

Piccinini began his career in law enforcement with the LSPD after earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Central Missouri State University, and graduating from the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Academy in 1983. In 2007, he earned his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from what is now known as The University of Central Missouri. Piccinini also received certification from Northwestern University Traffic Institute for Supervision of Police Personnel, and is currently accepted and scheduled to attend the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Piccinini is only the fourth member of the Lee's Summit police force to be accepted into the FBI National Academy program. 

As an active member of the Lee’s Summit CARES Executive Board and Lee’s Summit Character Council, Piccinini helps to direct, support and actively coordinate efforts of the community to significantly reduce substance abuse, promote youth safety and thereby improve the health and well-being of the community. To that end, he is also an integral part of the Lee’s Summit Coalition to Curb Underage Drinking.  

Throughout his career, Piccinini has received three Certificates of Commendation (1995, 1997, 2001) and two Meritorious Service Awards (1994, 1996), and, in 2001, was granted a Community Policing Award on behalf of the Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax (COMBAT) and the Jackson County, Missouri, Prosecutor’s Office. Piccinini was instrumental in expanding Lee's Summit's first and continuing Crisis Intervention Team for interaction between police personnel and the community, especially related to dealing with the mentally ill. 

Seeking unique opportunities in which to learn from other departments near and far, Piccinini is a regular participant in the International, Missouri and Metro chapters of the Police Chiefs Association, and the International and Missouri Narcotics Associations. As Interim Chief of Police, Piccinini will fill seats on the Jackson County Drug Task Force Board of Directors and Metro Meth Task Force board.