FRANKFORT, KY (January 23, 2008) – Two veterans in the field of Corrections have been named to deputy commissioner posts in the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Al Parke has been named Deputy Commissioner of Adult Institutions, in charge of all aspects of operation and administration for Kentucky’s 13 state and 3 private prisons. Parke is a 37-year veteran of Corrections and will return to the agency where he began his career in 1975. He most recently served as Southern Regional Director for the Indiana Department of Correction where he supervised and monitored 17 facilities. He will assume his new duties Feb. 15.
Rodney Ballard has been named Deputy Commissioner of the department’s Community Services Division, which encompasses Probation & Parole and Local Facilities. He assumed his new position Jan. 22. Ballard brings more than 30 years of experience in the field of corrections and law enforcement to the job. He most recently served as Chief Deputy at Kenton County Detention Center.
“Al Parke and Rodney Ballard are veterans in the field of corrections management and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our management team,” said J. Michael Brown, Justice and Public Safety Secretary. “We are fortunate to bring Mr. Parke back to Kentucky Corrections. His extensive institutional experience will be a valuable asset to the department. Likewise, Mr. Ballard’s knowledge of county jails will be vital now, more than ever, as issues dealing with our jails are at the forefront of concern for not only the department, but the state as a whole.”
Parke has served in three correctional systems since 1970, including a total of 25 years as warden of eight prisons in five states. He also has eight years of Central Office experience in various administrative positions, including a stint as Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Adult Institutions for Kentucky. He retired from the Kentucky Department of Corrections in 1994, and has served as a consultant with the National Institute of Corrections and the National Institute of Justice. He is currently an auditor for the American Correctional Association.
A graduate of the University of Louisville, Parke received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology. He is pursuing his master’s in criminal justice administration. A native of Berea, Parke and his wife Patricia will reside in Frankfort. The couple has four children and 12 grandchildren.
Ballard began his career as a police officer, first serving in Taylor Mill and Kenton County. In 1982 he joined the Kentucky State Police for what would be a decorated 17-year career that included stints as a member of the agency’s Special Response Team, detective, and member of the Executive Security detail. Ballard has received numerous awards and commendations during his career and he is a guest instructor in the field of criminal justice for several organizations including the FBI, KSP, Office of the Attorney General and Kentucky Jailers’ Association.
In 1999 Ballard became the Major and Commander of Internal Affairs and Training at the Kenton County Detention Center. Soon afterward, he was promoted to Chief Deputy at the facility, a position in which he oversaw the facility’s $1.5 million renovation. He was second in command at the detention center, a jail that houses an average of 500 inmates, has 95 employees and a budget of more than $7 million.
Ballard is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University where he received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. A native of Kenton County, he and his wife Beverly reside in Edgewood and are the parents of three children, Britni, 25, Zac, 17 and Wes, 16.