TCI’s Bullard named NC Warden of the Year

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     In his first year as Warden at Tabor Correctional Institution, Jamie Bullard has been named the 2022 North Carolina Warden of the Year.

     Bullard’s selection was for “his extraordinary and proactive efforts to improve one of the largest prisons in the state,” a NC Department of Adult Correction news release said.

     “Jamie Bullard’s willingness to open doors to new programs, reform operations for the better, and his general appreciation for the field of corrections and his facility, is what makes him stand out among leaders and radiate a genuine passion for people,’’ said North Carolina Secretary of Adult Correction Todd Ishee.

     Bullard was named TCI’s warden in March 2022. He had served there as associate warden for custody since December 2019.

     His career in prisons began when he was hired as a correctional officer at Columbus Correctional Institution near the town of Brunswick in 2000. There he served as a “mentor, offender disciplinary investigator and acting sergeant,” the news release said.

     Promoted to sergeant, Bullard was reassigned to TCI in 2008, was named assistant unit manger in 2010, then unit manager in 2012. He was promoted to captain three years later.

     He was promoted to sergeant and reassigned to Tabor in 2008. He was named assistant unit manager at the prison in 2010 and promoted to unit manager in 2012. Three years later, he was promoted to captain.

     Tapped as a regional intelligence team leader in 2018, Bullard coordinated “the gathering of information necessary to maintain safety and security for staff and offenders,” the news release said.

     He has been a member of the Prison Emergency Response Team since 2005, and as a platoon leader he supervises the PERT teams at both the Tabor and Columbus facilities.

     Bullard succeeds Warden Doris Daye of Caswell Correctional Center, who was the 2021 North Carolina Warden of the Year.

Desire to help

     “Warden Bullard’s desire is to always help,” Ishee aid. “His stable leadership, his ability to think outside the box, and his innate ability to connect with staff makes him an ideal choice for Warden of the Year.”

     Bullard is one of the 53 men and women in charge of the state’s prison facilities, which house more than 30,000 offenders. The wardens supervise many complex operations at their prisons.

     At Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City, Bullard oversees almost 1,400 offenders of multiple custody levels and a staff of more than 500 men and women who serve in custody, food service, medical, dental, administration, programs, maintenance, and as psychological staff.

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