Published: October 12, 2009 09:37 pm      

Job well done

Officers prevented inmate’s suicide

Much of the news that comes out of our nation’s correctional institutions isn’t good news. All things considered, that shouldn’t be surprising.

We recently covered the trials of several former correctional officers who were charged with assault and other offenses against inmates. The results were mixed, with both acquittals and convictions.

However, the news is not always bad. Sometimes, it calls for a handshake and a “Job well done” that we are pleased to pass along when the chance arises.

That is the case with three correctional officers from North Branch Correctional Institution who were honored last week for saving the life of an inmate who was trying to hang himself.

Randy Adkins, Brian Barrett and Melvin Lewis discovered the situation and intervened, removing the noose from the inmate, who was by that time unconscious. They performed CPR while other officers sent for medical assistance, and the inmate survived.

North Branch Warden Bobby Shearin said, “Correctional officers seldom get the credit they deserve,” and we agree. They exist in the type of world that the average citizen probably would just as soon forget about.

As it is with any kind of law enforcement work, the job of a correctional officer carries responsibilities and potential hazards that can never be appreciated by those who haven’t faced them. Sometimes, it’s a matter of survival — not just their own, but that of those around them.

Congratulations to officers Adkins, Barrett and Lewis for their alertness, devotion to duty and professionalism. They are a credit to their service.