Jon Murad Named Vermont DOC Commissioner

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has appointed Jon Murad to serve as commissioner of the Vermont Department of Corrections, effective immediately.

Prior to the appointment, Murad had been serving as interim commissioner since August of 2025, after previous commissioner Nick Deml left the department. In January, Deml was appointed to assume control over New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.

Before joining the department, Murad spent 20 years in law enforcement, holding several positions with the New York City Police Department before retiring as an assistant commissioner in 2016. He returned to serve as the chief of the Burlington Police Department in Vermont from 2020 to 2025.

As commissioner, Murad will be responsible for overseeing the more than 1,300 incarcerated individuals housed in Vermont’s six correctional facilities, as well as over 900 staff members within the department.

“In his time as interim commissioner, Jon has shown a strong commitment to making improvements at the Department of Corrections,” Gov. Scott said in a statement. “I believe his experience and leadership will continue to be a valuable asset to the Department.”

“For the past six months, I’ve been privileged to lead the Department of Corrections in an interim capacity on behalf of Gov. Scott and Secretary Samuelson, and I’m grateful to each of them for this opportunity and their support,” said Murad. “I’m proud to serve a department that provides court-ordered custody and supervision with care and compassion. And I’m humbled to work with amazing people, in our facilities, field offices and central office, who dedicate themselves to that mission every day.”

Murad holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s in public administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.