Gov. Bill Lee has named Christopher Hansen interim commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, filling the top job at the department that runs the state's prisons, including the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County.
WSMV reported that Hansen will keep his current job as assistant commissioner of community supervision while serving as interim commissioner. In that role he oversees the department's statewide probation and parole operations and leads about 1,100 employees. He joined the department in 2023. Before that, he served as chief probation officer and director of the Solano County Probation Department in California and as chief U.S. probation officer for the District of Nevada.
Why there is a vacancy
The appointment follows the resignation of Commissioner Frank Strada. WSMV reported that Strada left amid scrutiny of the department's execution procedures, after Christa Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital during the Sept. 30 execution attempt. The station also noted an earlier report in which Lee dodged a question about hiring a commissioner linked to several difficult executions in Arizona.
Lee said Hansen's experience in corrections and public safety makes him qualified to lead the department during the transition. The reports do not say how long the interim arrangement will last or when a permanent commissioner will be named.
The department's other work
The change comes as the department is also helping to search for an escaped inmate, Jacob Morley, who got out of the Northwest Correctional Complex on Oct. 26. State officials have asked residents to check their properties and have reminded the public to call 1-800-TBI-FIND or 911 with any information.
What to watch
Lawyers for Pike have gone to court over her treatment since the failed execution, according to reports from NewsChannel 5. Further developments involving the department's execution procedures and its leadership are expected, and Raw 100.5 will pass along updates that affect West Tennessee.
Sources: WSMV, Tennessee Governor's Office announcement as reported by WSMV, The Tennessean