The South Carolina Jail Administrator’s Association held their 2014 Conference Training and Trade Show this week in Myrtle Beach. The President of that organization is Major Chris Hudson of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, who is the Chief Administrator for the Johnson Detention Center. This year’s conference ran Sunday through Wednesday.
Over 220 law enforcement personnel representing county and city jails in South Carolina as well as guests representing North Carolina’s detention facilities were in attendance. The trainees ranged from elected officials such as Sheriffs, to appointed employees such as Jail Administrators, supervisors and detention deputies.
During this three-day event, there was professional training that covered Legal Updates, Duty to Warn, Use of Force, Coping and Surviving Critical Incidents and a personal challenge by United States Marshall Kelvin Washington for correctional officers to realize even though they have a very tough job not lose sight that they make huge impacts in their communities, state and across the Nation.
The trade show segment of the conference featured over 56 companies demonstrating different equipment and supplies that will assist detention staff in their daily duties.
Several professional awards were presented to well-deserved recipients during the conference. Correctional Officer of The Year went to Horry County Detention Deputy Sebrina Bellamy, Correctional Supervisor of The Year was awarded to Cherokee County Detention Sergeant Betty Blackwell and the 2014 Jail Administrator of The Year was presented to Anderson County Jail Administrator Garry Bryant.