Ken Jarnigan

Ken serves as the Program Manager of the School Protection Specialist Program. In this role, Ken oversees the deployment and management of School Protection Specialists ensuring that safety and security operations are aligned with best practices, legal requirements and the specific safety needs of the educational institutions served.

Ken Is an accomplished public safety executive with more than three decades of progressive leadership experience in law enforcement and school safety operations. Over a 33 year career with the Independence, Missouri Police Department, an agency with over 300 sworn and civilian employees, Ken advanced through every supervisory rank, serving as Deputy Police Chief, Major, Captain, Sergeant, Detective and Police Officer.

In these roles, Ken provided executive oversight of strategic planning, budgeting, and policy modernization initiatives designed to meet the evolving needs of the community. He directed major investigative units, managed patrol operations, enforced employee performance standards and implemented systems for criminal case tracking and operational planning. Ken is recognized for conducting complex investigations, delivering expert testimony in administrative and criminal proceedings and driving organizational improvements that enhanced efficiency and accountability.

Ken also served as the Public Safety Director for the Independence, Missouri School District, which serves over 14,000 students. He led the district’s comprehensive safety and security strategy, aligning operational objectives with the organization’s mission to provide data-driven approach to risk management, emergency preparedness and stakeholder collaboration.

Ken holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.