Commission Members

Tara Wildes has lived in Jacksonville most of her life. She joined the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer in 1985, after having volunteered as a reserve officer for over three years. For the first ten years of her career, Tara worked in various assignments at each of the correctional facilities operated by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Currently, Tara is an appointed member of the Sheriff's Staff, holding the rank of Chief of the Jails Division. Prior to her appointment as Chief, Tara held the appointed positions of Assistant Chief of Police Services and Assistant Chief of the Jails Division, and prior to that, the civil service rank of Lieutenant. Throughout her tenure with the Sheriff's Office, Tara has worked a wide variety of assignments in both operations and support roles.

Tara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Florida, and is an adjunct instructor for Florida Community College at Jacksonville and the University of Florida. She is certified by the state in both corrections and law enforcement, and as an instructor in general criminal justice topics and the high liability areas of Human Diversity and Firearms with the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. She is the current chair of the Mental Health Coalition, is on the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women and the Metropolitan Jacksonville Area HIV Health Services Planning Council. In addition, she is a member of a number of professional and civic organizations such as the Fraternal Order of Police, the American Correctional Association, Rotary Club of South Jacksonville and the American Jail Association. Tara has been married to James Bowen for twenty-two years and they have one son, Alex.