Lansing Officer selected as 2006 Corrections Officer of the Year

: Leo Lalonde, (517) 373-6391Contact

 

FEBRUARY 17, 2006

 

Eric D. Jones of Lansing, a Corrections Officer at the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) Deerfield Correctional Facility in Ionia, has been named 2006 Michigan Corrections Officer of the Year.

 

 Training Council. He was chosen from nominees that came from every state prison and community supervision region in the state.=His selection was made last week by the State Standards Committee of the Michigan Correctional Officers

 

Jones joined the Michigan Department of Corrections in 1999 working as a corporal at the Special Alternative Incarceration program. He transferred to the Deerfield Correctional Facility in 2003.

 

“Eric Jones is an outstanding officer,” said Deerfield Correctional Facility Warden Carmen Palmer. “His innovation and dedication to duty exemplify the professionalism and high standards of the Department of Corrections.”

 

 He is active in gang intervention and speaks throughout Corrections Officer Jones has an impressive record for outstanding community involvement. Michigan and around the country addressing students on the danger of gangs. In addition, he has founded a mentoring program for at-risk inner city children to improve their self esteem, school attendance and behavior at school and in their communities. He also provides a scholarship for an at-risk high school senior each year.

 

The Officer of the Year was selected from among four other finalists: Corrections Officer Brady Hull of Breckenridge, Resident Unit Officer Neil Koenigsknecht of Portland, Corrections Officer Paul Raymond of Ypsilanti and Corrections Officer Tammy Trejo-Woodley of Saginaw.

 

In addition to their outstanding service to the department, candidates for the corrections officer honor are judged on the basis of their work ethic, MDOC policy compliance, communications skills and professionalism. Each must provide a positive role model and sound judgment in emergency situations.

 

Jones, as well as all the nominees for the award, will be honored at a banquet on May 10 in East Lansing.