The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction announced Jamie Bullard, who oversees Tabor Correctional Institution, as the 2022 North Carolina Warden of the Year.
Out of the 53 men and women in charge of the state’s prison facilities, Bullard was chosen "for his extraordinary and proactive efforts to improve one of the largest prisons in the state," according to a March 15 NCDAC press release.
Bullard oversees nearly 1,400 inmates and supervises more than 500 employees as warden at Tabor Correctional Institution.
Climbing the ranks
A veteran corrections officer, Bullard began working at the Tabor City prison in 2008 after serving eight years at Columbus Correctional Institution in Brunswick. Over the following years, Bullard earned several promotions, ultimately becoming associate warden in December 2019 and then warden in March 2022.
As warden, Bullard “has helped guide his team at Tabor to receive some of the best audits in the state prison system in the areas of security, safety, sanitation, and administration,” the press release states.
And under Bullard’s leadership, the prison offers a variety of rehabilitation programs for its inmates. Offenders can pursue their general education diploma and participate in behavior management courses, such as Thinking for a Change and Anger Management, to learn real-world problem-solving skills.
Additionally, an in-house sewing plant provides job training and skills to over 100 inmates, according to the release. The plant "manufactures uniforms for staff and offenders, among other items."
‘Passion for people’
Bullard continues to involve himself in the day-to-day operations of the prison, wherever needed. "He has worked all hours of the day and night to do rounds with night shift employees," the press release reads.
And he listens to his employees. "He will not answer a phone call, or an email, while he's having a one-on-one conversation with a staff member," the press release states. "As a result, the staff feels respected and heard."
Bullard’s steadfast dedication to his work earned high commendations not only from his coworkers, but from N.C. Secretary of Adult Corrections Todd Ishee as well.
“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 Ishee.
"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."
