Delaware Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps announced that he has selected a new Chief of the Bureau of Prisons and Warden of the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) in Smyrna.
Steven Wesley, the current warden of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (HRYCI) in Wilmington, has been chosen to serve as the Bureau Chief of Prisons.
The mission of the bureau is to provide overall administrative support to prison facilities, which enforce judicial sanctions for offenders and detentioners in a safe, humane environment. It also aims to provide protection for the public with incarceration and rehabilitation programs, a release stated.
Air Force Lt. Colonel Dana Metzger has accepted the position of Warden of the James T. Vaughn Correctional Facility in Smyrna, site of an uprising earlier this year that resulted in the death of a corrections officer.
The warden at the time of the incident was relieved of his duties.
JTVCC is the largest prison in the state of Delaware and houses up to 2,500 minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates. A multistate selection committee from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware assisted the Department of Correction in selecting a new warden.
“Warden Wesley and Lt. Colonel Metzger are proven leaders who have earned the respect of their colleagues and communities over the course of their careers. I’m grateful to Lt. Col. Metzger for accepting the position of Warden and look forward to working with him in his new role at the DOC,” said Phelps. “I’m confident Steve Wesley will build on the momentum of my executive leadership team to ensure we continue to provide effective and creative programs and services to inmates while fulfilling our mission of upholding public safety.”
Metzger has served in the United States Air Force for the past 22 years. He is currently stationed at the Dover Air Force Base and serves as the Commander of the 436th Security Forces Squadron. In this position, he oversees a force of 300 personnel providing combat support, emergency services, law enforcement, and security and antiterrorism efforts.
Wesley became Warden IV of Young in 2014. Prior to that, he was Warden III of New Castle County Community Corrections for six years and worked in various leadership positions in the Delaware Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services.
Before coming to Delaware, Warden Wesley was a police officer with the Fremont and Oakland Police Departments in California.
He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Delaware. He replaces Chris Klein, who is assuming the position of Deputy Principal Assistant at the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
