New Warden at Valdosta State Prison

Roy Odum Reassigned

FORSYTH, Ga. – Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Commissioner Tyrone Oliver announced the reassignment of Roy Odum, from Warden at Ware State Prison (SP) to Warden at Valdosta SP effective October 16, 2024. As Warden, Odum will be responsible for overseeing all staff members and approximately 1,163 male offenders.

 “Roy has worked his way up through the ranks  and excelled at each position he has held,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “We are confident that his correctional knowledge and unwavering dedication will prove beneficial as he takes on this new role.”

Odum began his career with GDC in 2007 as a Correctional Officer at Smith State Prison. During his tenure at Smith SP, he served on the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) and was promoted to Sergeant.  In 2011, Odum was promoted to Lieutenant at Rogers State Prison where he served as Administrative Lieutenant, ACA Field Compliance Specialist, and PREA Investigator. In 2017, Odum was promoted to Major at Georgia State Prison and in 2018, he was promoted to the Tier II Unit Manager.  In 2018, he was promoted to Deputy Warden of Security at Ware State Prison, and in 2021 he was promoted to Warden, where he currently serves.

Odum is currently pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice.  He has completed the following departmental training: Basic Correctional Officer Training, Basic Management Training, Sergeants Academy, CERT Basic Training, Supervision II and III, and Warden’s Pre-Command.

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About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising approximately 50,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit http://www.gdc.ga.gov .