PENDLETON — Three Pendleton Correctional Facility Custody Department members have recently been recognized for their hard work.
Maj. Michael Conyers, custody supervisor, announced the 2018 Custody Awards to officers Jacob Fish and Eric Hammond and supervisor Louie Baker in a press release. The awards recognize exemplary service within the department, the release stated.
With less than a year of service, Fish is highly regarded by his peers as hard-working and security-minded. Having worked a multitude of posts, with his extraordinary enthusiasm in learning new tasks and quick assimilation to working in new units, Fish has been a tremendous asset to his bracket, officials wrote in the press release.
With an optimistic attitude, Fish was nominated by his co-workers and was honored with the Rookie of the Year award.
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Longevity, the willingness to grow, balancing the needs of the shift and straightforward readiness to respond to any situation earned Hammond the respect and gratitude of his fellow staff, the release said.
Alongside his normal job duties, Hammond serves as the facility K-9 field commander and is continually training with his K-9 partner, Indy, making Indy a top-tier K-9. Regarded as top-notch in the field of corrections, Hammond can always be counted on to assist whenever and wherever he is needed while making security-minded decisions during often-stressful situations, the release said.
Having extensive experience and knowledge of both the facility and corrections in general, Hammond was nominated by fellow staff and was awarded the “Correctional Officer of the Year” award.
As a former U.S. Marine, Baker is well versed in the handling and maintenance of firearms. His expertise led to his assignment as the facility’s armor. He challenges staff to develop their skills in responding to situations in which the use of deadly force would be justified, the release stated.
The level of experience with firearms of the staff he trains significantly ranges, from beginner to expert, requiring Baker to maintain strong communication skills and exude a high level of patience. Baker’s passion and knowledge pushes his trainees to think beyond the basic knowledge of weapons handling and challenges them to understand the dynamics of their actions should their training be questioned in a court of law, the release said. It is his aptitude and proficiency that earned Baker the “Custody Supervisor of the Year” award.
“Our facility is fortunate to employ a multitude of honest and security-minded staff; however, Officer Fish, Officer Hammond and Sgt. Baker are standouts in a crowd of many who ensure the public’s safety in an often volatile work environment,” Conyers said in the release. “I would like to congratulate these three staff and thank them for their service to our facility, our community and to our state.”
The three staff members continue in the corrections field because they understand the importance of their profession in protecting the community and each other within the facility, the release said.