Christopher B. Epps has reached a milestone as Mississippi’s corrections commissioner.

Epps, who has began as a prison guard 27 years ago, was appointed corrections commissioner on Aug. 30, 2002, by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and was reappointed by Gov. Haley Barbour on Jan. 13, 2004.

His tenure surpasses that of Morris Thigpen, who was corrections commissioner from September 1980 to February 1987.

Epps has worked in a variety of jobs at the Mississippi Department of Corrections including chief of security and director of treatment services and community corrections.

Only four corrections officials currently serving as commissioners throughout the USA have served longer than Epps.