RALEIGH — A former Republican legislator and parole officer will serve as the new head of North Carolina's prison system.

David Guice was named Wednesday as new chief deputy secretary over the Division of Adult Correction.

Guice was elected to two terms representing a North Carolina House district in the mountains before leaving his seat at the start of 2012 to lead the state parole system. He is a retired state employee who had a 30-year career that included stints as a probation officer, a chief probation parole officer and a parole services manager overseeing operations in 27 western counties.

On Tuesday, retired FBI agent Frank L. Perry was named as interim chief operating officer at the state Department of Public Safety, which includes the prison system and the Highway Patrol.