As your Sheriff, I have been truly humbled by the incredible support I receive from the community. I am equally humbled by the support I receive from my staff. The Sheriff’s Office has so many outstanding employees who are dedicated to this community that it is often a challenging task for supervisors to select an Employee of the Month. Each month, agency supervisors choose two Employees of the Month; one from the Sheriff’s Office Field Operations Division and one from the Jail Division. Then, at the end of the year, all of the employees vote to select the Employees of the Year. The fact that the Employees of the Year are chosen by their peers makes the honor even more special. 

This year’s Employees of the Year are truly deserving of the recognition. Because folks in the community often don’t get the chance to see these great employees, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a little about them.

Deputy Michael Hefton always displays a “go-getter” attitude and is known for always being in the right place at the right time.  He is a team player and is often called upon to assist his co-workers and other agencies. In his current capacity, Dep. Hefton is the handler for the DCSO K9 “Maverick”. Working with Maverick, approximately 70% of Dep. Hefton’s workload includes tracking and finding Alzheimer’s patients or special-needs children who have wandered off. Deputy Hefton was named the Sheriff’s Office “Officer of the Year” for the Exchange Club and he is the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office Employee of the Year.  He is definitely an asset to our agency and deserves this recognition.  

Corporal Vivian Hunt is a very dedicated, hardworking and loyal employee that is always willing to assist regardless of the task at hand.  She is a team player and excels in every position she has worked or been assigned to. She coordinates with Albany Technical College and plays a key role in the success of our Dougherty County Jail Facility Inmate GED Program.  To date, we have had 43 inmates to earn their GEDs while incarcerated.  In addition to the Inmate GED Program, Cpl. Hunt coordinates with outside organizations in order to get volunteers to assist with our Inmate AA and Substance Abuse Programs.  She supports the goals and the mission of the Dougherty County Jail. For these reasons mentioned and so many more, Cpl. Hunt is the Dougherty County Jail’s choice for Employee of the Year.  We are proud to have her on our team and representing this agency! 

I should also note that there were two dozen employees who received votes for Employee of the Year. This is a real testament to the quality of our employees. I am incredibly proud of and grateful for each person who takes up the challenge to serve their community as a member of the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office. I want to thank each citizen for giving me the honor of leading such an outstanding team. If we can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to call.