Walls Unit in Huntsville, TX
Award Nominations
The Texas Jail Association is accepting nominations for Detention Officer of the Year (Professional Service and Valor), the Hall of Fame, the TJA Lifesaving Award, and the Jerry Baggs Leadership Award. The purpose of these awards is to recognize exceptional service provided by an individual in the field of county jail operations. How often have you been told that you’re doing a good job? Positive reinforcement and recognition of a job well done encourages staff to continue this exemplary behavior.
TJA encourages you to evaluate your agency and find the individual that is excelling and is deserving of recognition. Whether it is a peer, a subordinate, or a supervisor, there is someone who has positively impacted your agency. Their level of professionalism, es’prit de corps, dedication, loyalty and/or actions has made a difference in the field of county corrections. Now is the time for you to recognize them. The nomination process is simple.
These awards will be presented at the Annual TJA Conference each year. Recipients will receive complimentary conference registration and hotel accommodations at the Annual Training Conference. The recipients will also be presented with a commemorative plaque and will be recognized in the TJA newsletter.
NOMINATION PROCESS
A person does not have to be a member of TJA; however they must be eligible for membership. Any nomination must have the written endorsement of the agency head. Nomination packets, including supporting documentation such as offense reports, sworn statements, newspaper accounts, and letters of recommendation, are to be returned to:
TJA Headquarters
Attn: Awards Committee
Box 2296
Huntsville, TX 77341-2296.
All packets will be sent to the Awards Committee Chair for verification of eligibility and distribution to committee members.
Nominations must be received by March 1, 2024.
Nominations received after the deadline cannot be considered.
Detention Officer of the Year - Professional Service
This award is given to an individual working in county corrections who has demonstrated a commitment to professional service at his/her agency by making outstanding contributions to county corrections that exceed basic ability and expected performance.
Detention Officer of the Year - Valor
This award is given to an individual working in county corrections who demonstrated courage or valor in the face of danger while in the performance of his/her official duties.
Hall of Fame Award
The Hall of Fame Award is a tribute to the service of an individual who is the selected recipient.
This award recognizes an individual career of outstanding contributions to county corrections and the criminal justice system. The recipient of this award has demonstrated a dedication to the advancement of the field of county corrections.
Jerry Baggs Leadership Award
The Jerry Baggs Leadership Award is given in recognition of Jerry Baggs who was instrumental in the creation of the Texas Jail Association and served at its first President. Jerry Baggs' extraordinary leadership and vision combined with his true devotion to the field of county corrections serves as an example to all that follow his path.
This award is presented to an individual employed in the field of county corrections who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in and appreciation of the field of county corrections. He or she has exhibited a sincere commitment to the professional advancement of county corrections personnel.
President's Award
The President's Award is presented to an individual that has provided service or support to the Texas Jail Association during the previous year. This award is given at the discretion of the President and does not require nomination.
TJA Lifesaving Award
The Lifesaving award is given to an officer/s working within county corrections who have displayed extraordinary performance in their duty to save the life of a person who would likely have died if not for the action of the officer/s. It shall be awarded only after the awards committee confirms the following circumstances:
- The officer took direct, immediate, and positive action to preserve the life of another human being who was in danger of dying.
- The action taken did prevent the loss of a human life.
- The circumstances of the act were such that any delay in providing assistance would, in all probability, have resulted in the person’s death.
Robert "Bob" Patterson Award
The Robert "Bob" Patterson Award is presented in remembrance of Major Bob Patterson. Bob dedicated his career to advancing the field of corrections. He served decades in leadership roles including President of the Texas Jail Association; President of the American Jail Association, and as founding Chair and Co-chair of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy. Bob’s impact went beyond influencing the organizations he led as he was passionate about people. He loved his family, his friends, and the men and women that worked in our Nations jails. He committed countless hours to developing professionals across the State of Texas and the United States through education and mentorship. During his career, he inspired many people to continue and advance their careers in corrections and to do it with dignity and pride.
The Robert "Bob" Patterson Award is presented to a leader who has demonstrated a passion for the advancement of corrections by working to develop professionals serving jails across the State of Texas. The recipient should demonstrate successful management of day-to-day jail operations, such as crowded conditions, mental health, personnel shortages, and fostering innovative ideas.
