Commissioner Richard D. Davison is a veteran criminal justice official who has a background in prosecution, legislative affairs, juvenile justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Commissioner Davison received a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in 1984 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Florida in 1988. While in law school he was an Earl Warren Legal Fellow, a Virgil Hawkins Legal Fellow, and an intern with the Office of the Public Defender.
Commissioner Davison began his criminal justice career in 1989 as an Assistant State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orlando, Florida, where he prosecuted juvenile delinquency, traffic, and misdemeanor cases in jury and nonjury trials. In 1991 Commissioner Davison relocated to Tallahassee to become the Staff Attorney for the Florida House of Representatives Committee on Criminal Justice. Afterward, he became an Assistant Statewide Prosecutor with the Office of Statewide Prosecution where he prosecuted white collar crime, organized crime, and other criminal enterprises.
Following the creation of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in 1994, Commissioner Davison served as the Department’s first Director of Legislative Affairs and later as an Assistant General Counsel. After a period of time in the private sector with the Law Firm of Williams, Wilson, and Sexton as a senior associate and lobbyist, Commissioner Davison returned the Department of Juvenile Justice as the Deputy Secretary. Subsequently, Commissioner Davison transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections where he also served as the Deputy Secretary. As Deputy Secretary, at both agencies, he was second in command and was responsible for the executive oversight of institutions, probation, health services, residential services, detention, staff development, and information technology. At the time of his appointment to the Commission, Davison was serving as the Legal Counsel and Director of Administration for the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office where he provided advice and counsel on a wide range of legal and administrative issues. Concurrently, Commissioner Davison was serving as the program coordinator for the City of Tallahassee Community Connections Restorative Justice Program.
Commissioner Davison has previously served as a member of the Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council, the Florida Supreme Court Task Force on Treatment Based Drug Courts, the Workforce Florida Board of Directors, the Keiser University Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, and the Tallahassee Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. He also served as a member and chairman of the Florida Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. Commissioner Davison is a member of the Florida Bar, and currently serves his community as a Counselor for the Florida American Legion Boys State and as a member of the Committee of 99 of Tallahassee/Leon County.
Commissioner Davison was originally appointed by Governor Scott and the Florida Cabinet on August 19, 2014, and was confirmed by the Florida Senate on April 29, 2015, to serve a six-year term, which was renewed in December 2020. Commissioner Davison was re-appointed to the Commission by Governor DeSantis and the members of the Florida Cabinet on December 15, 2020.
Richard D. Davison, (850) 488-0476 / FAX (850) 414-6902
