Atlanta, Georgia – In Georgia, public safety changes often happen far from the spotlight. Not this one. After nearly four decades in state service, Michael Nail is preparing to step away from one of the state’s most important supervision posts, closing a long chapter that helped shape how Georgia watches over people after prison, parole or probation.
Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced this week that Nail, the current commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, will retire on October 1 after more than 37 years of service to the state. His departure marks more than a routine leadership change.
Nail was the first person to lead DCS after the agency was created in 2015, giving him a central role in building the department from its early days into one of the nation’s largest community supervision agencies.
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Nail’s career in public safety stretches across several major parts of Georgia government. Before leading DCS, he held senior leadership roles with the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. His time as commissioner became the final stretch of a career tied closely to corrections, supervision and the day-to-day work of keeping communities safe.
“Marty and I want to thank Commissioner Nail for his years of devoted service protecting the people and communities of Georgia,” Kemp said.
“His leadership at the Department of Community Supervision has made our state safer, and we are grateful for the many long days and nights of work he put in to ensure the success of that mission. We wish him, Candy, and their family continued health and happiness in the years ahead.”
The transition is already set. Kemp said he will appoint Scott Maurer, now DCS chief of staff, to become commissioner on October 1. Maurer is not new to the agency or to Georgia’s public safety structure. He has served the state since 2001 and, like Nail, has worked with the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Kemp said Maurer’s experience makes him well suited for the role, noting that he was also involved in the launch of DCS. “Marty and I also want to thank Scott Maurer for his willingness to take on this new role,” the governor said. “Having also been a key partner in the launch of DCS, his years of work and leadership in the law enforcement community will serve him well in this role as he carries on the department’s legacy of professionalism and reliable public safety.”
As chief of staff, Maurer helps oversee daily operations at DCS. His résumé also reaches into several public safety boards and committees. He serves as chairman of the Probable Cause Committee for the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. He is also a member of the POST Council Executive Committee, the National Institute of Corrections and the Crime Victims Compensation Board.
Maurer holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College and is a certified alcohol and drug counselor.
For DCS, the October handoff will bring both change and continuity. Nail leaves after helping build the agency’s foundation. Maurer steps in as someone who helped shape that same foundation from inside Georgia’s public safety system.
