MADISON — Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr will leave his post March 8, Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday.
“Kevin has spent over 40 years working as a public servant, devoting much of his life to keeping our state and our communities safe, and I was incredibly grateful when he decided to join our administration five years ago,” Evers said in a statement, adding that it was “immediately clear to me Kevin would not only bring a wealth of experience in law enforcement to keeping people safe but that he would do so with an important appreciation for the power of redemption and rehabilitation.”
Carr was among the first secretaries named to Evers’ cabinet, serving since December 2018. Prior to joining the Evers administration, he was a U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He also spent 30 years with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, rising to the rank of inspector under former Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.
A replacement will be named in the coming weeks, Evers said.
Carr took over the agency at a time of upheaval, as it was under federal investigation following years of allegations of inmate abuse, official misconduct and neglect.
At the time of his appointment, Carr said Wisconsin could produce better results while reducing prison costs.
“The past five years have been quite memorable, and I could not be prouder to have worked with some of the finest public servants in the country who are doing amazing work every day under very difficult conditions,” Carr said in a statement.
Carr garnered bipartisan praise, including from Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, who leads the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
“Being Secretary of the Department of Corrections can be a thankless and burdensome job. Navigating the conflicting interests between the governor’s office, state and federal courts, convicted felons, guards, victim and inmate advocates, wardens and, yes, the Legislature, can be overwhelming. Although I clearly did not agree with every decision he made while navigating those headwinds, I think Kevin did nearly as well as anyone could with the challenge,” Wanggaard said.
“While we have sometimes had to have blunt conversations about the Department, I truly believe Kevin had Wisconsin’s best interests in heart as he served as Secretary. I wish him the best in his well-earned retirement,” Wanggaard said.
Evers praised Carr for accomplishments as DOC Secretary including increasing educational opportunities for inmates, expanding eligibility for the Earned Release Program and expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for those in custody or on supervision.
By April, the vacancy rate for correctional officers and sergeants at adult institutions is expected to be lower than it was when Carr was appointed, according to the governor’s office. That follows the creation of a dedicated recruitment team and the approval of a new compensation plan, following ongoing issues with understaffing. The current vacancy rate is 21.3%, according to Evers’ office.
Carr’s resignation comes at a contentious moment for the department, however.
Over the past year, several institutions such as the Green Bay Correctional Institution and Waupun Correctional Institution have been under unending lockdowns, limiting the movements of those incarcerated, depriving them of recreational time and requiring them to take meals inside their cells.
At Green Bay, there have been chronic issues with rodents, which some incarcerated individuals say force their way under the doors of those housed at the facility at night.
At Waupun, there have been three in-custody deaths.
In June, Dean Hoffmann, 60, died by suicide while in solitary confinement. When family questioned his death, and asked if his mental health concerns had been cared for adequately. The family last month filed a lawsuit against the department, alleging his civil rights were violated in the months leading up to his death.
In October, the Journal Sentinel reported a second and third death at the prison. The cause and manner of their deaths are still under investigation.
Carr remained largely quiet on the issues, refusing for months to speak to the press directly, despite a past history of openness.
Last month, Evers floated the idea of an independent investigation into the deaths, after the department completes its internal investigations.
Jessie Opoien and Laura Schulte can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].