Willard Chilton

Public-safety and transportation operations professional with 11+ years of experience coordinating personnel, vehicles, secure statewide movements, cross-jurisdictional operations, safety inspections, crisis response, staff training, and compliance documentation. Currently serves as Transportation Officer-in-Charge for the Indiana Department of Correction, independently coordinating staff responses during uncommon events and supporting a 22-vehicle fleet. Pursuing a B.S. in Emergency Response Management (expected July 2027); holds an A.A. in Criminal Justice, a National Disaster & Emergency Management University Professional Development Series certificate, FEMA ICS/NIMS training, and an Indiana Class B CDL.

Offers practical experience in rapid resource allocation, multiagency coordination, operational continuity, risk identification, and audit-ready reporting.

Transportation Officer-in-Charge (OIC) at Indiana Department of Correction (2025-06 – Present)

Manage daily statewide transportation logistics by assigning personnel and vehicles for secure, cost-effective transfers. Serve as Transportation Officer-in-Charge since November 1, 2025, independently coordinating staff responses during uncommon events and managing comprehensive administrative workflows.

• Resolved a critical facility-wide vehicle shortage by diagnosing deadlined-vehicle issues and reallocating fleet assets, making 17 vehicles valued at $502,640.74 available for dispatch within minutes.
• Coordinate maintenance for a 22-vehicle agency fleet and track mileage, monthly utilization, and repair costs to support resource decisions and end-of-month reporting.
• Plan single- and multi-day extraditions for parole violators and escapees by preparing workbooks, routes, logistics schedules, retake warrants, and required legal documentation.
• Developed an email notification protocol during an Ohio extradition to relay incoming J3 status and property information; the protocol was adopted as a department-wide operational standard.
• Supervise transportation staff, complete performance documentation and formal reviews, maintain staff CDL records, and instruct new personnel in CDL theory and practical walk-around procedures.
• Developed comprehensive training packets to standardize transportation onboarding and personally conduct high-security trips during staffing shortages to maintain operational continuity.
• Prepare purchasing, per diem, claim-voucher, and vehicle-procurement documentation for the Business Office.

Correctional Officer / Transportation Officer at Indiana Department of Correction (2014-10 – 2025-06)

• Served as Officer-in-Charge and Extradition Officer for in-state and out-of-state transports, applying independent judgment to conduct secure cross-jurisdictional operations.
• Executed complex multi-day extraditions to Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Alabama, coordinating routing, fuel, lodging, feeding, schedules, and operational contingencies.
• Coordinated with external law-enforcement agencies and county holding facilities to verify warrants, waivers of extradition, and medical records before assuming custody.
• Applied de-escalation and logical force progression to manage a non-compliant incarcerated individual without injury.
• Conducted pre-trip and post-trip mechanical and security inspections of commercial passenger vehicles and buses while maintaining an exemplary driving record verified through Gauge Smart GPS tracking.
• Supported a high-profile weekend operational detail that safely and efficiently relocated the Jefferson County Jail.
• Maintained strict accountability for specialized equipment and achieved zero-error performance on critical trip paperwork, mileage tracking, and incident reports.

Residential Driver – CDL (B) at Republic Services of Indiana (2022-08 – 2023-03)

• Performed comprehensive vehicle safety inspections and fluid-level tracking in accordance with DOT requirements and company policy.
• Managed daily routes, timelines, map logs, and dispatch instructions to maintain safe and efficient service delivery.
• Monitored vehicle controls and diagnostic indicators and documented mechanical or safety vulnerabilities through established reporting channels.

Refuse Collection Driver at City of Indianapolis (2022-03 – 2022-09)

• Executed assigned municipal-service routes and documented operational changes or obstacles with written descriptions and photographs.
• Performed systematic pre-trip and post-trip inspections and maintained detailed vehicle-condition reports.

Bachelor of Science in Emergency Response Management – Indiana Institute of Technology (2027-07)

Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice – Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (2024-05)