MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2013 By: Senator(s) Jackson (32nd), Horhn, To: Rules Jordan, Jackson (11th), Butler (38th), Dawkins, Simmons (12th), Butler (36th), Turner, Browning, Clarke, Fillingane, Frazier, Gollott, Jones, Kirby, Lee, Longwitz, Montgomery, Moran, Stone, Watson, Wilemon, Carmichael SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 552 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING MISSISSIPPI 2 CORRECTIONS COMMISSIONER CHRISTOPHER EPPS AS THE LONGEST-SERVING 3 COMMISSIONER IN THE STATE'S HISTORY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 4 INVESTITURE AS THE 102ND PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL 5 ASSOCIATION. 6 WHEREAS, as the state celebrates Black History Month, we 7 acknowledge Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps 8 as the longest-serving Commissioner in the state's history. 9 Commissioner Christopher B. Epps was recently honored when he was 10 sworn in on January 28, 2013, as the 102nd President of the 11 American Correctional Association (ACA). Epps, who will lead the 12 organization for two years, took the oath at the ACA Winter 13 Conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center; and 14 WHEREAS, after being sworn in, Epps stated he will seek to 15 get more agencies ACA accredited and to increase the number of 16 agencies receiving the ACA Golden Eagle Award. Currently, 17 Mississippi is one of 18 recipients of the Golden Eagle. The 18 award is presented to those who have accredited every facet of 19 their agency. Mississippi Department of Corrections is the 14th S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 1 (crl\tb) 20 state correctional system in the nation to achieve this 21 accomplishment. According to Commissioner Epps, getting fully 22 accredited in Mississippi saved the state millions of dollars and 23 led to the dismissal of one of the lengthiest lawsuits in the 24 country. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said, "This is an honor 25 for Commissioner Epps and brings distinction to our state." He 26 also said he wants to continue focusing on health care issues, 27 more rehabilitation and less administrative segregation. He also 28 plans to push for more reentry programs; and 29 WHEREAS, Commissioner Epps, in his 11th year as Mississippi's 30 Corrections Chief, is uniquely qualified to assume the helm of 31 this premier corrections organization. During his watch, the 32 department has become number one in corrections reform, drawing 33 visitors both from within and outside of the United States to 34 discuss administrative segregation, commonly known as solitary 35 confinement, and Managed Access in dealing with illicit cell 36 phones. Christopher B. Epps was appointed Commissioner of the 37 Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) by former Governor 38 Ronnie Musgrove on August 30, 2002, and by Governor Haley Barbour 39 in 2004. Currently serving his 11th year, he was reappointed to 40 the post on January 12, 2012, by Governor Phil Bryant; and 41 WHEREAS, Commissioner Epps started his career with the 42 Mississippi Department of Corrections in 1982 as a Correctional 43 Officer at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. His extensive 44 corrections experience with the MDOC includes: Chief of Staff, S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 2 (crl\tb) 45 Deputy Commissioner of Institutions, Deputy Commissioner of 46 Community Corrections, Director of Offender Services, Deputy 47 Superintendent, Chief of Security, Corrections Case Management 48 Supervisor, Director of Treatment Services, and Corrections Case 49 Manager. Additionally, he has served as Disciplinary Hearing 50 Officer/Investigator and Director of Records for the agency; and 51 WHEREAS, Commissioner Epps has held various leadership 52 positions throughout his career in corrections and in the 53 military. Having served in the Armed Forces since 1984, 54 Commissioner Epps received an honorable discharge from the 55 Mississippi Army National Guard after attaining the rank of 56 Lieutenant Colonel. The Commissioner is a member of the 57 Association of State Correctional Administrators, serving on the 58 Correctional Industries, Research and Technology, Reentry and 59 Community Corrections, Racial Issues, and the Program and Training 60 Committees; and 61 WHEREAS, he serves as an Auditor with the American 62 Correctional Association (ACA), and in 2008, was elected to a 63 two-year term as Treasurer of the ACA. He was elected in 2006 to 64 serve on the ACA Nominating Committee, and in June 2004, he was 65 elected to the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections of the 66 American Correctional Association for the term of 2004-2008; and 67 WHEREAS, in 2007, he was appointed to the Executive Committee 68 for the Commission. He is a long-standing member of the Southern 69 States Correctional Association (SSCA), and in 2008 was selected S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 3 (crl\tb) 70 to serve as President of the Association. Additionally, he serves 71 on the Board for Alcohol Services, Mississippi Prison Industries, 72 the Mississippi Drug Court Advisory Committee, and is a former 73 mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Mississippi; and 74 WHEREAS, other appointments consist of serving on the Council 75 of Advisors for the College of Public Service at Jackson State 76 University; and appointments by Governor Haley Barbour to the 77 State Workforce Investment Board and the Interstate Commission for 78 Adult Offender Supervision as Mississippi's representative. He is 79 Chairman of the Mississippi Wireless Communications Commission and 80 is a member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Former Chairman of 81 the Victim Services Committee for ASCA, the Commissioner has also 82 served ACA as the Chairman of Workforce Development and as 83 Chairman of the Adult Corrections Standards Committee; and 84 WHEREAS, Commissioner Epps' list of accomplishments and 85 awards are numerous and include being named recipient of the 2012 86 Michael Francke Award as the outstanding National Director of 87 Corrections by the Association of State Correctional 88 Administrators; "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2007 by the 89 Mississippi Association of Professionals in Corrections as well as 90 "Professional of the Year" in 2000 and 2004; the 2007 91 Distinguished Alumni Award from the National Association for Equal 92 Opportunity in Higher Education; one of the "50 Most Influential 93 African-Americans in Mississippi" by BlackMississippi.com; and 94 2004 recipient of "The Distinguished Public Service Award" by the S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 4 (crl\tb) 95 University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Criminal 96 Justice, for his contributions to the criminal justice system; and 97 WHEREAS, additional honors include: Army Commendations 98 Medal; Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Reserve 99 Component Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; National 100 Defense Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Ribbon; Army 101 Service Ribbon; Mississippi Medal of Efficiency; Mississippi War 102 Medal; and the Mississippi Longevity Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. 103 Commissioner Epps was awarded the honorary title "Kentucky 104 Colonel" in 2007 by Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher. On May 28, 105 2009, presented by the Mississippi House and Senate, Resolution 106 No. 114, for dedication and outstanding service as the 107 longest-serving Commissioner in the history of the Mississippi 108 Department of Corrections; and 109 WHEREAS, Commissioner Epps' correctional/civilian 110 affiliations include the American Correctional Association, 111 Association of State Corrections Administrators, North American 112 Association of Wardens and Superintendents, Southern States 113 Correctional Association, Mississippi Association of Professionals 114 in Corrections, the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, the 115 National Guard Association of Mississippi and the National Guard 116 Association of the United States; and 117 WHEREAS, a native of Tchula, Mississippi, Commissioner Epps 118 is a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a 119 Master of Arts Degree in Guidance and Counseling. He received his S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 5 (crl\tb) 120 Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from 121 Mississippi Valley State University. In 2012, the Association of 122 State Correctional Administrators honored Christopher B. Epps, 123 Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, as the 124 outstanding Director of Corrections for 2011. Commissioner Epps 125 is married to Catherlean Sanders Epps and they have two sons, 126 Chris and Tracey; and 127 WHEREAS, Chris Epps' accomplishments in the field of 128 Corrections, his outstanding service to the state and the local 129 community, active participation in the Association of State 130 Correctional Administrators, and his integrity, diplomacy and 131 competence all illustrate the honor he has brought to the State of 132 Mississippi: 133 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 134 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 135 we do hereby recognize and salute Mississippi Corrections 136 Commissioner Christopher Epps as the longest-serving Commissioner 137 in the state's history on the occasion of his investiture as the 138 102nd President of the American Correctional Association (ACA) and 139 the recipient of the 2012 Michael Francke Award as the outstanding 140 National Director of Corrections by the Association of State 141 Correctional Administrators. 142 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 143 Commissioner Epps and his family, forwarded to the Governor and S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 PAGE 6 (crl\tb) 144 the Association of State Correctional Administrators, and made 145 available to the Capitol Press Corps. S. C. R. No. 552 *SS01/R1020* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 13/SS01/R1020 ST: Recognize Mississippi Corrections PAGE 7 (crl\tb) Commissioner Christopher Epps as 102nd President of ACA. .