Alabama corrections officials report hiring gains, detail construction progress and staffing needs for new Kaye Ivey complex

A Department of Corrections representative told the Joint Interim Committees that the department has increased hiring and is using a partnership with the Alabama Community College System to prepare recruits for the academy, while construction on the Governor Kaye Ivey Correctional Complex is more than halfway complete and will require additional staff and transition funding.

The presentation, delivered to the committee during a public session, said the department graduated a class of 96 correctional officer trainees in late 2024 and reported that a January 2025 class initially had 149 reports, with 145 remaining at the time of the hearing. The representative said the department believes that reported January numbers are the largest in the department’s history.

The committee was told the department runs a six-week “Activate” program with Alabama community colleges that gives candidates morning physical training and afternoon academic instruction to improve pass rates on the physical fitness test required for correctional officer trainees. The speaker said 23 people entered a recent Activate cohort, 21 completed it and went on to graduate from the academy; two left because of injuries.

The representative described the Governor Kaye Ivey Correctional Complex in Elmore County as a specialized men’s facility focused on medical and mental-health services. The department said the project is 53%…