Gov. Hobbs names new director of Arizona prison system

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — On Tuesday, Gov. Katie Hobbs named a new director for the state’s Department of Corrections following David Shinn’s retirement earlier this month. Dr. Ryan Thornell, the current Deputy Commissioner of Corrections for the state of Maine, has been appointed for the role.

Per a press release issued by the governor’s office, Dr. Thornell has served in the corrections system for more than 18 years, leading “significant initiatives” regarding incarceration practices and approaches. He has a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati and a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of South Dakota. “I am proud to have been a part of leading this effort in Maine. I will miss my MDOC family, and I will think of them often as I step into this exciting new challenge,” Thornell said in a statement.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills also thanked Thornell for his service. “I am grateful to Deputy Commissioner Thornell for his ‘perfect effort’, as they say in the MDOC, and for his many contributions to strengthen our corrections system in Maine. I wish him all the best in Arizona,” she said in a statement.

Dr. Thornell replaces Shinn, who announced his retirement last month and stepped down on Jan. 4. Gov. Doug Ducey appointed him ADCRR director in 2019 after Charles Ryan stepped down in September of that year amid prison safety concerns.

On Tuesday, the governor also named a new director for the Department of Public Safety, Tempe Police Chief Jeff Glover. Click/tap to learn more about that appointment.

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