Deputy Director Joseph Walters

Joseph W. Walters serves as Senior Deputy Director for the Virginia Department of Corrections, principally leading the agency’s administrative and support services. Walters began his public safety career as a local law enforcement officer in Martinsville, Virginia, in 1992. In 1993, he joined the Virginia State Police as a State Trooper, rising to the rank of Captain and Human Resources Director. Noteworthy assignments with the Virginia State Police included serving as Special Agent-in-Charge of General Investigations in the Appomattox Field Office, Staff Assistant to the Director of the Bureau of Field Operations, Assistant Director of Information Technology and Planning, and a Legislative Liaison to the Virginia General Assembly. In 2015, Walters joined the Virginia Department of Corrections to serve as Human Resources Director, and in 2018, he was promoted to Deputy Director for Administration. In 2024, he was appointed to also serve as the agency’s chief law enforcement officer, where he was responsible for the reorganization of the agency’s Office of Law Enforcement Services and the establishment of a Criminal Intelligence Center. In 2025, Walters became Senior Deputy Director for the agency.

Walters earned his B.S. in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Averett College, and his Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s National Criminal Justice Command College, the National Institute of Corrections’ Executive Excellence Program, and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Virginia Executive Institute. He supports the public safety community in many ways including serving on the Board of Directors for the Crater Criminal Justice Training Academy. Active in his community, he was elected to the Powhatan County School Board in 2015 and 2019. Walters is currently completing his PhD in Public Administration through Liberty University. A proud Virginian, he enjoys spending time with his family, restoring antique automobiles, and outdoor activities.