(WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced today that he has named former Arlington County Sheriff Thomas N. Faust as the Director of the District Department of Corrections (DOC). DOC, a major component of the District’s public safety and justice cluster, is one of the largest detention systems in the nation.

“Mr. Faust joins the District government with one of the most accomplished public-safety resumes in our region,” Mayor Gray said. “His 34 years of experience in the field of criminal justice include a quarter-century with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Department, including several terms as Sheriff. His expertise will serve the District well in one of our most important public-safety agencies.”

As Sheriff, Faust managed a multi-million dollar budget and was responsible for oversight of a detention facility housing a diverse population of male and female inmates. The sworn law enforcement and civilian employees under his supervision successfully carried out essential county-based judicial, corrections, and law-enforcement functions. During his tenure, Faust implemented a number of operational and programmatic protocols that led to the detention facility’s accreditation by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. He is also credited with a number of other major accomplishments, including the successful planning, design and opening of Arlington County’s new jail facility and justice center; creation of the facility’s first emergency-response team; establishment of a jail-based substance abuse treatment program; implementation of the first jail-based industries program in the state; and creation of a community-based safety program for senior residents. He has also worked as the Executive Director of the National Sheriffs’ Association and Vice President/Industry Relations for Aramark Correctional Services.

A Ward 3 resident, Mr. Faust holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech University and a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University.