A new secretary has been named to lead the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Lindsay Wallace will take over the position after serving as the department's chief of staff for nearly three years. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the appointment Thursday.
“I’ve seen how the status quo has failed crime victims, failed public safety, and failed our state,” Wallace said in a statement. “I am committed to working with all stakeholders, the governor, the legislature, and Board of Corrections to ensure we fix our corrections system.”
This comes amid a months-long conflict between the governor's office and the state Board of Corrections. Board members last month voted to fire Sanders' initial Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri. Interim secretary Eddie Joe Williams voluntarily stepped down from his position, saying he felt unable to do the job and accomplish his goals. He served in the job for less than a week.
The news also comes amid ongoing legal tensions between the governor and the department over adding new prison beds.
Wallace is an Arkansas native and holds a degree from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. She has worked in the state Department of Human Services and the Arkansas Sentencing Commission.