MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) announced today the appointment of Charles Daniels as Deputy Commissioner of Operations. Daniels, who comes to the ADOC with more than 28 years of service with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, will oversee the daily operations of the state’s 23 male correctional facilities that employ more than 1,700 security staff and an inmate population of approximately 18,600.
“Deputy Commissioner Daniels brings to the Alabama Department of Corrections a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience that will prove invaluable to the department’s operations, its mission, and will build upon our progress to strengthen a prison system that is in need of major reform,” said Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn.
Daniels began his career with the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in 1988 as a correctional officer, served in key executive staff positions, and rose through the ranks to warden of major federal correctional facilities around the country.
In January 2008, Daniels was promoted to Senior Deputy Assistant to the Director for the BOP’s Industries, Education and Vocational Training Division. In 2009, he served as warden of the United States Penitentiary, Florence, Colorado followed by a promotion in 2013 to warden at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas. In 2015, Daniels led the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana until his retirement in December 2016. Following his service with the BOP, Daniels was appointed Senior Deputy Commissioner of Correction, for the New York City Department of Correction.
Daniels held a variety of senior staff positions within the BOP to include: team leader and regional trainer of the hostage negotiation team; member of the joint terrorism task force; and counselor for the equal employment opportunity program. He is credited with developing a curriculum used by the BOP for the professional development and internal training of federal prison officials. Daniels also developed an emergency response model entitled, Immediate Incident Resolution, which is a five-step emergency response continuum designed to respond to, and resolve emergent situations within a correctional environment.
Daniels is a graduate of the Aspen Institute Justice and Society Program, Center for Creative Leadership, and holds a degree in criminal justice. He is a military veteran with service in the U.S. Air Force from 1984 to 1988.
Daniels’ appointment is effective Jan. 7.