MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay Ivey announced the retirement of John Hamm as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections, while also naming longtime Corrections and law enforcement veteran Greg Lovelace to lead the agency through the remainder of her current term.
In a statement released by the governor’s office, Ivey praised Hamm’s leadership and described his tenure as transformative for Alabama’s prison system.
“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,” Ivey stated.
Hamm was appointed commissioner in January 2022 after more than 35 years in law enforcement. During his time leading ADOC, the department oversaw the construction of two new men’s prisons, expanded recruitment and retention efforts for correctional officers, and implemented what officials described as a zero-tolerance approach toward violence and misconduct involving both inmates and staff.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve in Governor Ivey’s Administration, and I thank her for giving me that opportunity and empowering me to lead the Department of Corrections forward,” Hamm said in a statement. “When I started at Corrections in 2022, Governor Ivey gave me the charge of making the Department better and with her support, as well as the support of her staff and the hardworking men and women of ADOC, we have accomplished that.”
Lovelace currently serves as Chief Deputy Commissioner and has more than 30 years of corrections experience. State officials noted he has already played a key role in the development of the new Governor Kay Ivey Correctional Complexin Elmore County, including construction oversight, staff training, and preparations for inmate transfers.
According to the governor’s office, Lovelace has also managed maintenance, construction, and operations across Alabama’s prison system during his career with ADOC. His law enforcement career began in 1975 with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
“There have been longstanding challenges facing Corrections, and Governor Ivey decided she would tackle those head on, and we have made progress because of it,” Lovelace said. “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.”
No official retirement date for Hamm was immediately announced.
