LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Board of Corrections voted 5-2 to fire Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri during a special meeting on Wednesday.
The decision comes just six days after Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Patricia James ruled in favor of the board's ability to deny Profiri and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ prison expansion plans.
"Having served in law enforcement and public safety roles at the local, state, and national level for over thirty years, it's disappointing to see politics being played with the safety and security of Arkansans," Profiri said. "Certain members of the board are making false and misleading claims all in an effort to hold power and keep the status quo, which for decades has created a dangerous and broken system."
Along with that ruling, James also declared that any laws passed in 2023 that made the prison secretary answerable to the governor were unconstitutional and upheld the board’s Dec. 14 move to suspend Profiri with pay.
"The work of Corrections is to keep communities safe by retaining violent, repeat offenders and adequately preparing offender populations for reintegration," Profiri said. "We must continue to work on the governor's bold plan to reduce crime and keep communities safe."
Previously, Profiri vowed to override the board’s objections and expand the number of beds without their approval.
Profiri’s comments sprouted the lawsuit from the Board of Corrections against Profiri and Sanders, questioning the governor’s hiring and firing authority over the corrections secretary.
Sanders appointed Profiri to the post, which was confirmed by the panel last year.
"My focus is on the safety of Arkansas and ending the failed policy of catch and early release of violent criminals in the state," Sanders said. "Sadly, the Board of Corrections has chosen repeatedly to focus on pushing lies, political stunts and power grabs."
Additionally, Board Chairman Benny Magness argued that Amendment 33 of the state’s constitution allowed prison and higher education boards to remain largely independent and outside the governor’s control.
The Sanders administration went over the heads of the board to add hundreds of new beds in early December, according to an Associated Press report. Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Sanders, explained they decided to do it after the board added 124 beds at one prison but rejected adding 368 more beds to two other prisons.
Members of the board have argued that because of staffing issues, they have hesitated to add the requested beds and continued concerns regarding overcrowding issues. The board has also cited safety for both staff and inmates.
Arkansas's prisons are currently above capacity, with more than 1,600 additional state inmates being held in county jails.
Sanders said Profiri will join the governor's office as a senior advisor.
"We firmly support Joe Profiri as Secretary of Corrections and are proud of the accomplishments we've achieved together," Sanders said. "During ongoing litigation, Joe Profiri will be serving as a senior advisor to me in my office. I'm confident that Attorney General Griffin will successfully defend the law in court."
In a different lawsuit filed by Attorney General Tim Griffin, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox declared that Griffin and the Sanders administration must allow the board to hire its own counsel as both sides fight over who has the final say over day-to-day prison operations in the state.
Now, the attorney hired by the board is urging other commissioners to assert their independence from the governor and for rulings like this to establish their purpose clearly.
Fox ordered Griffin to come to an agreement with the state’s Board of Corrections, or his case would be dismissed.