John Hamm Retires as Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner
By Charlie Lange
At the end of April, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced the retirement of Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Commissioner John Hamm, describing his time in office as a “successful and transformative tenure.”
Hamm took the helm as Commissioner of ADOC in January 2022 after more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, starting as a police service dispatcher and eventually being elected Sheriff of Barbour County, Ala. He also held several prominent leadership roles over seven years with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, including Deputy Secretary and head of the State Bureau of Investigation.
“It was an honor to serve in the Governor Ivey administration, and I thank her for giving me that opportunity and empowering me to lead the Department of Corrections forward,” said Hamm.
In the retirement announcement, Gov. Ivey cited several departmental improvements made during Hamm’s tenure, including initiating construction of two new men’s prisons, expanding correctional officer recruitment and retention efforts, and instituting a zero-tolerance policy for misbehavior and violence among both the inmates and ADOC staff.
“Running the Department of Corrections in any state is a heavy task, and Commissioner John Hamm has been exceptional for Alabama. No doubt Corrections is better today than when I took office in 2017. I certainly give John a ton of credit for our progress across the spectrum,” said Gov. Ivey.
Hamm, however, is quick to share the credit for those successes with ADOC staff.
“The Department made major improvements during my tenure, but the credit goes to the executive staff and the hard-working men and women of the Alabama Department of Corrections,” said Hamm.
Speaking with Correctional News, Hamm acknowledged the challenges with leading a department the size of ADOC, but said his mission was to empower staff to do their jobs successfully, enable those in custody to succeed after their sentences and enhance public safety in communities.
“As a leader, transitioning from law enforcement to commissioner of a corrections department with 3,500 employees and 22,000 inmates, you’re looking at the big picture and trying to manage the team and get everybody pulling in the same direction. You want everybody to do their job according to policy and procedures, and to give inmates the structure they need,” said Hamm.
To aid in those efforts, Hamm leaned on the support of industry groups like the Correctional Leaders Association during his time in office, relying on the experience of other department leaders to achieve progress in his department — and in the industry as a whole.
“I want to thank the Correctional Leaders Association for their leadership in improving the corrections profession,” said Hamm. “I made friends with Directors that I know will last past my job with the Alabama Department of Corrections.”
Hamm said his decision to retire did not come lightly, but that ultimately, he knew it was time for a new challenge.
“I put a lot of thought and planning into my retirement. I struggled with ‘mission first,’ but after helping lead the state’s two largest law enforcement agencies during the last 10 years of my career, I knew it was time to start a new chapter in my life,” said Hamm.
A career public servant, Hamm also gave some parting advice to other law enforcement professionals who may be considering a career in corrections.
“Be open-minded; learn about your agency and what opportunities you have there first, but understand that there may be other opportunities if you’re in law enforcement and thinking about corrections,” said Hamm. “The sky’s the limit for corrections career opportunities in Alabama right now. There are positions open, and if you’re a career-minded person and want to learn, there are great advancement opportunities.”
In the wake of Hamm’s retirement, Gov. Ivey appointed Greg Lovelace, a 50-year corrections and law enforcement veteran, as Commissioner for the remainder of Hamm’s term. Lovelace’s career in law enforcement began in 1975 with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, and he has spent the last 26 years in various leadership roles with ADOC. Prior to his most recent appointment, Lovelace had been serving as ADOC’s Chief Deputy Commissioner since 2022.
“I am honored to serve under Governor Ivey’s leadership and am grateful also to Commissioner Hamm for all that he has poured into ADOC,” said Lovelace, who took office on May 1. “Governor Ivey instructed me with finishing strong to ensure Corrections seamlessly transitions to the next administration, and I look forward to helping lead the ADOC team to doing just that.”