The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Edward Basden as the new warden at the New Hanover Correctional Center in Wilmington.
Basden had been the associate warden of custody at the prison since 2017.
“Warden Basden is an outstanding professional with the proven and tested skills needed to manage a prison,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. “His extensive experience and remarkable leadership make him an outstanding addition to the team of dedicated men and women who run our prisons.”
In his new position, Basden is responsible for all operations at the male minimum custody facility.
New Hanover is a designated reentry facility that operates one of the largest work release facilities in the state.
A 28-year veteran employee to state government, Basden began his career with the Department of Public Safety as a correctional officer at Pender Correctional Institution in 1993.
He was promoted to correctional sergeant in 1998, correctional lieutenant in 2006, correctional captain in 2013, and associate warden of custody at New Hanover Correctional in 2017.
Staff morale and growth are a primary focus for Basden. He said he would also like to establish better working relationships with the surrounding communities to more efficiently guide and transition offenders into the community upon release.
Basden graduated from Wallace-Rose Hill High School in Duplin County. He holds an Advanced Criminal Justice Certification from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission.
He has been a member of the Prison Emergency Response Team, where he was a squad leader and hostage negotiator. Basden has specialized training as a PREA compliance manager, facility intelligence officer, and in interview and interrogation techniques.
In his free time, Basden enjoys spending time with his family.