Hal Nash has been appointed as the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles’ Chair by Governor Kay Ivey, with immediate effect (MONTGOMERY, AL.) (WDNews).
At the moment, Nash works for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as the Chief Corrections Deputy. As required by state law, a board consisting of the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the House, and the president pro tempore of the Senate submitted a list of five nominations from which he was chosen.
According to Governor Ivey, we changed the legislation in 2019 to guarantee that the Board of Pardons and Paroles’ top priority will always be to protect public safety, and Hal Nash is qualified to keep the Board effective in carrying out that job. He has a law enforcement background and has promised to treat every case fairly and with the safety of the people of Alabama as his primary priority. Mr. Nash had an ambition of joining the police force since he was a little lad, but he didn’t start until he was forty years old. He has been a committed member of law enforcement ever since, though, and he adds a wealth of leadership and law enforcement experience to our Board.
Nash has worked for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for the last five years. In addition, he has experience working for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy commander, commander, narcotics agent, and investigator. He was a member of the Huntsville-based U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force for five years.
As we serve Alabama in this crucial public safety capacity, I am honored to have been appointed Chair of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles by Governor Ivey, and I am looking forward to collaborating with the other board members,” Nash said. One should not take this stance lightly. It will be necessary to prioritize the safety of all Alabamans while keeping in mind that individuals have the freedom to make positive changes. As I work to provide the finest service possible, I pray for the discernment to see both.
Nash has also held positions of civic leadership, such as Jackson County Hospital Authority member, Chattanooga/Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Board chairman, and international vice president of the Jaycees.
Jackson County Sheriff Rocky Harnen expressed his pride in Hal’s appointment as the Chair of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. We are certain that Hal will serve the state of Alabama well since we know he has a plethora of law enforcement expertise, both in the enforcement and correctional sectors.
According to Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce, “I’ve had the honor of working with Hal for more than 20 years and have firsthand experience with his character, integrity, and discernment.” As the Chief Corrections Deputy for the Jackson County Jail and a law enforcement officer for several jurisdictions, Hal has a unique perspective that I am sure will help him make the tough decisions required of him as a member of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. He’s a great choice.
Time spent with the Chattanooga Police Reserve is another aspect of Nash’s law enforcement career.
We want to create a safe Alabama, and Hal Nash will contribute to the advancements made in public safety thus far. I express my gratitude to Leigh Gwathney, the departing Chair, for her unwavering support of public safety. Governor Ivey said, “I commend Leigh for serving at the helm and helping to make a safer Alabama. She was a key part of our reform of Pardons and Paroles for the better.”
