Sheriff’s Office employees honored with awards

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office recently held their first awards ceremony since 2019. The past two years, the event was unable to be held due to the pandemic.

Those who had received promotions since that time were recognized, while other employees were presented with awards.

► Lifesaving Award – Deputy Ken Beard and Deputy Matt Glassford: The two helped a victim with a life-threatening leg injury after a motorcycle accident and applied a tourniquet to prevent additional blood loss. After the incident, North Shelby Fire District Chief Randy Sipe called Sheriff John Samaniego to commend the deputies and said their swift action more than likely saved the victim’s life.

► Lifesaving Award – Lt. Keith English, Sgt. Nick Ryske and Deputy Bob Alston: In March 2020, the three assisted in a jail incident where three inmates had overdosed and were unresponsive. Narcan was administered and all three inmates became responsive before being transported to the hospital.

► Meritorious Service – Deputy Bradley Bush: In November 2020, Bush assisted on a welfare check call on a suicidal person. He found the person in a near-unconscious state sitting in a running vehicle in an enclosed garage. He and other deputies discovered the patient had overdosed on prescription medications. His quick, decisive action saved the person’s life.

► Meritorious Service – Kevin Hand: From 2018 to 2022, Hand was assigned to the Birmingham DEA office and responsible for pharmaceutical diversion investigations. His contributions resulted in the arrest of three different multi-state pharmaceutical trafficking rings, burglary rings and prosecution of six clinicians federally convicted of selling unlawful prescriptions.

► Meritorious Service – Lt. Owen Prescott: Prescott was tasked with developing a wellness program to improve the physical, mental and financial well-being of all Sheriff’s Office employees. The SCSO officially launched its wellness program in December 2020 and Prescott was designated as the agency’s first wellness coordinator.

► Meritorious Service Award – Jail Deputy Laramie Crim: In December 2022, Crim was conducting a nightly watch at the jail when he noticed an unresponsive inmate. He entered a 14-man cell by himself without regard to his own safety. He called for a nurse and for other deputies to bring Narcan and talked to the inmate and rubbed his sternum and got information from other inmates, which later proved to be helpful to the medical staff.

► Special Recognition of Service – Cold Case Detectives Deputy Jim Dormuth and Deputy Larry Strayer: Both men have served their country and community for over 50 years, serving in the Army during the Vietnam War and retiring from federal law enforcement service with 30 years’ experience. They both received retirement plaques recognizing their outstanding leadership and professional services to the residents of Shelby County.

► Sheriff’s Award – Brandy Cannon, RN: Cannon devoted herself to caring for the inmates at the Shelby County Jail. She was also awarded the Medical Professional of the Year Award in August 2022, presented by the National Institute for Jail Operations.

► Sheriff’s Award – Deputy Darren McGairty: McGairty served as a jail deputy from 2012 to 2020. He was promoted to deputy sheriff in April 2020 and has been recognized by many outside agencies and commended by the U.S. Marshals.

► Sheriff’s Award – Deputy Nate Nichols: Nichols assisted a deputy in his second attempt to pass a physical fitness test for the Basic APOST Academy in May 2021. After the graduation, the staff learned that Nichols personally invested countless hours helping the deputy achieve his fitness goals, even after 12-hour shifts and on his off days.

► Sheriff’s Award – Sgt. Shane Plyler: In 2019, Sgt. Plyler was assigned to the administrative division and tasked to review and upgrade the records management system. During the two-year process, Plyler presented facts and research that played a significant role in the rejection of the software. During the same time, he also took on multiple leadership roles as team leader of the Project Lifesaver Unit serving as a crisis negotiator, worked with other personnel to begin the agency’s first mobile field force and redesigned the Sheriff’s Office performance evaluation guidelines.

► Sheriff’s Award – Anna Shinbaum: For professional achievement and distinguished service for her assistance in positively identifying a suspect while assisting on a call for the Hoover Police Department in October 2022.

Promotions

Captain Jason Myrick: Dec. 25, 2020

Captain Mark Bishop: Dec. 25, 2020

Sgt. Clayton Smith: Jan. 8, 2021

Sgt. Stephen Darrenkamp: Oct. 29, 2021

Sgt. Chris Currenton: Oct. 29, 2021

Sgt. Robert Rodriguez: Oct. 29, 2021

Sgt. Tommy Maddox: Oct. 29, 2021

Sgt. Thomas Nordyke: Dec. 24, 2021

Jail Sgt. Krystle Sargent: July 9, 2021

Lt. Kevin Brand: Oct. 29, 2021

Lt. Jud Barnes: Oct. 29, 2021

Lt. Deon Tilley: Oct. 29, 2021

Sgt. Nick Rykse: Feb. 2, 2022

Sgt. Robin Turner: June 24, 2022

Sgt. Crystal Motley: Nov. 11, 2022

Captain Joseph McGee: Dec. 9, 2022

Deputy Chief Clay Hammac: Jan. 6, 2022