An officer who exemplifies the leadership, team orientation and independent judgment required of frontline prison staff was named the state’s Correctional Officer of the Year on Wednesday.
Officer Thomas Dula of Alexander Correctional Institution in Taylorsville was honored alongside other prison employees during the N.C. Department of Adult Correction’s annual awards ceremony for its Division of Institutions, announced the department.
“We are here to celebrate excellence, the best of the best,” Secretary of Adult Correction Todd Ishee told attendees. “You are guiding lights in the dark that can seem dangerous or daunting. How many times have you run toward danger, not away from it? Your work does not go unnoticed.”
Warden of the Year David Millis of Craven Correctional Institution was announced in January.
Other award winners included:
Heroism — Joshua Barnes, housing unit manager at Maury Correctional Institution, who immediately responded to an offender assault on a staff member in October, preventing more serious injury.
Above and Beyond — Correctional Officer Sarah Turpin of Carteret Correctional Center, for taking charge of efforts to boost morale among Carteret staff and for reaching out to the surrounding community for assistance in demonstrating appreciation for the staff’s hard work and dedication.
Sergeant — Gerald Freeman, Randolph Correctional Center, Central Region, for taking upon himself the mentorship of new staff members, providing a role model of a corrections professional.
Regional sergeants of the year recognized were:
Eastern — Leola Hunt, Bertie Correctional Institution
South Central — William Parraz, Sampson Correctional Institution
Western — Shannon Smith, Alexander Correctional Institution.
Custody Supervisor — Associate Warden Curtis Ward Jr., Nash Correctional Institution, Central Region, who as a captain in 2023 created initiatives to improve the health and well-being of both offenders and staff: organizing intramural athletics for offenders to defuse tensions, and coordinating a “biggest loser” weight loss competition for staff.
Regional custody supervisor nominees were:
Eastern — Matthew Wood, housing unit manager, Roanoke River Correctional Institution
South Central — Capt. Pamphylia Odom, Lumberton Correctional Institution
Western — Capt. Tonia Warnic, Piedmont Correctional Institution.
Associate Warden — John Gray, Maury Correctional Institution, Eastern Region, for initiating practices such as ensuring new staff are thoroughly trained in emergency procedures, and for balancing his facility responsibilities with leadership of the Eastern Region Prison Emergency Response Team (PERT).
Regional associate warden nominees were:
South Central — Shawn Britt, Lumberton Correctional Institution
Western — Gregory Swink, Mountain View Correctional Institution.
DAC also recognized Correctional Officers of the Year from each of its 55 facilities statewide.
Eastern Region
Bertie Correctional Institution — Aaron Rice
Carteret Correctional Center — Theresa Szczepaniak
Craven Correctional Institution — Jose Martinez
Eastern Correctional Institution — Melanie Anderson
Greene Correctional Institution — Tiana Reid
Hyde Correctional Institution — Aaron Stevens
Johnston Correctional Institution — Louis Lydell Hinton
Maury Correctional Institution — Ryan Chapman
Neuse Correctional Institution — Tekesha Sanders
Pamlico Correctional Institution — Ethan Fitzgerald
Pasquotank Corre4ctional Institution — Andre Cherry
Roanoke River Correctional Institution — Hildegarde Bobbitt
Tyrrell Prison Work Farm — Jonathan Summerlin
Central Region
Caswell Correctional Center — Joshua Green
Central Prison — Sarah Apa
Dan River Prison Work Farm — Thomas Lee Allen
Franklin Correctional Center — Kenneth Penderman Jr.
Granville Correctional Center—Tracy Capehart
Nash Correctional Institution — Cheryl Shaw
NC Correctional Institution for Women — Darwin Freeman
North Piedmont CRV — Jasmine Dudley
Orange Correctional Center—Domenic Langley
Randolph Correctional Center — Ellery Myrick
Wake Correctional Center — Michael Delorian Broady
Warren Correctional Institution — Michael Phillips
Western Correctional Center for Women — Veronica Rutherford
South Central Region
Albemarle Correctional Institution — Brian Sanders
Anson Correctional Institution — Cora Cash
Columbus Correctional Institution — Harold Fowler
Harnett Correctional Institution — Jerry Hunt
Lumberton Correctional Institution — William Stacy Jacobs
New Hanover Correctional Institution — Wendy Bryant
Pender Correctional Institution — Gary Botzenhart
Richmond Correctional Institution — Carol Ingram
Robeson CRV — Stacie Oxendine
Sampson Correctional Institution — Libby Wilson
Sanford Correctional Center — Philip Vurro
Scotland Correctional Institution — Darryl Bennett
Southern Correctional Institution — Ricky Eddins
Tabor Correctional Institution — Tyrone Sammons
Western Region
Alexander Correctional Institution — Thomas Dula (statewide Correctional Officer of the Year)
Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution — Ralph “Tom” Nations
Caldwell Correctional Center — Brad Anderson
Catawba Correctional Center — Vicente Jeronimo
Craggy Correctional Center — Lonny Payne
Davidson Correctional Center — Kaleb King
Foothills Correctional Institution — Lacynda Blanton
Forsyth Correctional Center — Brian Cohade
Gaston Correctional Center — Alton Green Jr.
Lincoln Correctional Center — Natalie Petrea
Marion Correctional Institution — Allen Whitesides
Mountain View Correctional Institution—Thomas Harris
Piedmont Correctional Institution — Wessam Elsayed
Rutherford Correctional Center — Tramel Forney
Wilkes Correctional Center—David Callahan
Feature photo: Correctional Officer of the Year Thomas Dula/Courtesy photo.
Contributed.
