North Carolina Department of Public Safety & the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) & the Department of Adult Correction (DAC) are two government departments in North Carolina.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises approximately 6,000 staff, along with around 10,000 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen. DPS employees help ensure North Carolina is a safe place to live, work and visit, through effective law enforcement, juvenile justice programmes, emergency response and recovery and homeland security preparedness.

The Department of Adult Correction (DAC) operates the State’s 54 prison facilities. It employs 20,000 people across North Carolina, and its mission is to protect the public by collaboratively focusing on rehabilitation, protection, innovation, accountability and professionalism. DAC became a standalone entity in 2023, having previously been part of DPS.