A dedication ceremony was held on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, officially renaming the Maximum Security Unit in Tucker, Arkansas, to the Larry B. Norris Unit. The event came following the November 2024 board meeting, in which the Arkansas Board of Corrections unanimously voted to rename the unit in honor of the former ADC Director.

During the ceremony, former colleagues of Mr. Norris spoke about their time working alongside him. Speakers included retired Deputy Warden Randall Manus, ADC Chief Deputy Director Dale Reed, retired Arkansas Correctional School District Superintendent and current Board of Corrections member Dr. William “Dubs” Byers, ADC Director Dexter Payne, DOC Secretary Lindsay Wallace, and former Board of Corrections member Dr. Mary Parker.

Randall Manus spoke about interviewing Larry Norris before Norris’s time with the Department. Manus told stories of his time working with Norris and offered those in attendance a little history about the Department. “This unit couldn’t be named after a better man alive,” Manus stated, and thanked Norris for his work.

ADC Chief Deputy Director Dale Reed spoke about the time he spent working with and for Larry Norris. He also said it was an honor to be at the ceremony to recognize the former Director. Reed stated that Norris was a great leader and thanked him for his years of dedication to the Department. Reed also presented Norris with a framed picture of the newly renamed unit.

Dr. William “Dubs” Byers then spoke about the famous “Norris-isms” that Larry Norris was known for during his time at with the Department. One notable one was, “If you have to eat a frog, don’t look at it too long.” Byers told stories of his time working with Norris, telling a few jokes along the way. He stated, ” it’s only fitting this prison bear his (Norris’) name as a testament to his profound impact on the Arkansas Department of Corrections and the lives of those that served under his leadership.” Byers ended his speech by saying, “Director Norris, your name will continue to inspire those who walk these halls both as employees and those looking for a second chance. We thank you for your tireless service and legacy you leave behind. May the Larry B. Norris Unit forever stand as a tribute to the man who led with wisdom, strength, and honor.”

Those in attendance learned about the various accomplishments during Mr. Norris’s 16-year tenure as Director when current ADC Director, Dexter Payne, spoke. Some of those accomplishments included:

• The Department’s oldest and largest facility, the Cummins Unit, was accredited by the American Correctional Association. With that accreditation, the ADC became one of only nine states to be fully accredited by the ACA.
• A GED graduation record was set when 873 inmates earned their GED in ADC classrooms.
• 36 correctional officers were sworn in as certified law enforcement officers, the first ADC class to complete the training.
• The department added more high security prison space, broke up 100-man barracks at its oldest prisons, and erected high-voltage electric fences around the Cummins Unit, Varner Unit, and Maximum Security Unit (now Larry B. Norris Unit).
• ADC began major renovations at the Mississippi Work Release Center.
• An inmate search engine was added to the Department’s website, allowing internet visitors to view information and pictures of any ADC inmates.
• Helped to develop an employee association called Arkansas Association of Correctional Employees Trust (AACET).
• The ADC received the coveted Golden Eagle Award. Presented at the American Correctional Association’s 137th Annual Congress of Correction conference in August, the award is for those states whose institutions and programs are completely accredited by ACA.
• The Ouachita River Correctional Unit, Varner Supermax, Hawkins Unit, and Randall L. Williams Unit all opened.
• The Department made school mandatory for inmates who lack a high school diploma or its equivalent, added anger management classes and faith-based rehabilitation programs, and expanded its offerings of job training and substance abuse programs.

After his speech, ADC Director Dexter Payne presented Larry Norris with a “larger-than-life” Department of Corrections badge.

DOC Secretary Lindsay Wallace thanked Larry Norris for continuing to be a mentor, not only her but to all DOC staff when needed. She stated that his advice of simply, “try to make things better,” has been a motto she carries with her as DOC Secretary. Wallace said the honor of naming the facility after Norris is 100% deserved, and she couldn’t think of a better man to name a unit after. After her speech, she presented Norris with a “key” to the unit on behalf of AACET.

During her speech, Dr. Mary Parker spoke of her admiration for Larry Norris and his accomplishments. She stated, “He is one of the best corrections people I’ve worked with or met.” She said that two words come to mind when she thinks about Norris, leadership and legacy. She also thanked him for his friendship over the years. After her speech, Dr. Parker presented Norris with a gift from both current and former Arkansas Board of Corrections members.

After the speeches, Larry Norris addressed those at the ceremony. He spoke of his time with the Department, and the changes that happened and that continue to happen. “One thing you can count on in corrections is change,” Norris said. He praised the staff on how they handled the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of the Seminary School at the Varner Unit, and other notable accomplishments. Norris ended his speech by saying, “Thank you all so much. I’ll never forget this day.”

Following the ceremony, current and former staff and board members joined Larry Norris and his family in front of the facility for a ceremonial ribbon cutting, symbolizing the official name change.

See pictures from before the ceremony below:

See pictures from the ceremony below:

See pictures from after the ceremony below: