Iwalani D. White has been tapped to head the state Department of Public Safety by Gov. Linda Lingle.

White is Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Peter Carlisle's top deputy.

White, first deputy prosecuting attorney since 1997, will head the agency that oversees the state's prisons and community correctional facilities, as well as its Law Enforcement Division that is responsible for sheriffs and protective services.

White will start her new job on Aug. 1. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

From 1992 to 1997, White was a district family court judge and dealt with domestic-violence trials, child-abuse and -neglect proceedings, temporary restraining orders and related cases. She joined the prosecutor's office in 1982 and specialized in family court issues.

"Iwalani's focus as a prosecutor has been to keep the public safe," Lingle said in a release. "Her experience as a prosecutor and Family Court judge will contribute to her ability to effectively manage the Department of Public Safety. She understands Hawai'i's criminal and judicial systems and has earned the respect of her colleagues in the legal and law enforcement communities."

White received her law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

The state has been without a public safety director since November 2004, when John Peyton resigned. Rick Bissen, Jim Propotnick and Frank Lopez all served as either interim or acting directors.