McCracken County Sheriff's office holds awards dinner

The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office held its awards dinner on Thursday. Since there was no awards dinner last year, many of the awards were retroactive.
 
Detective David Clark received the Detective of the Year award for his work as a member of the drug division. Clark contributed to the seizure of over one million dollars worth of illegal drugs and over $100,000 in illegal drug proceeds in 2022.

Corporal Tyler Davis received the Deputy of the Year award for 2022. 

Ray Purvis received the Court Security Officer of the Year award for his outstanding service and teamwork as a member of the agency’s Court Security Division. 

Eight deputies and detectives received the Life Saving award. Deputy Kenneth Baldwin received the award for  responding to a lawnmower accident when a small child was struck by engaged mower blades. Deputy Matthew Krone and Detective Sarah Martin earned the reward by using crisis intervention to convince a person to not jump from the Ledbetter Bridge. Deputies Brandon Little, Kyle Latta, Kenneth Baldwin, and Jon Hayden as well as Sergeant Tom Starks also received the award for battling a vehicle fire and pulling the occupant from the vehicle.
 
In December, 2021, over forty personnel from the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office assisted in tornado relief in Marshall and Graves County, including 25 deputies. Fourteen deputies earned the Meritorious Service with Valor award, the second highest award at the sheriff's department. Those deputies put themselves in grave risk by going into burning or fallen structures to attempt to save tornado victims. They were Corporal Wesley Wright, Deputy Jordan Springer, Chief Bailiff Melissa Dillon, Sergeant Tom Starks, Deputy Kyle Latta, Sergeant Todd Ray, Deputy Zack Kimbler, Lieutenant Trent Hardin, Reserve Deputy Tom Clayton, Deputy Brad Lamb, Deputy Kenneth Baldwin, Detective Kyle Seratt, Detective Ronnie Giles, and Sergeant Ryan Burrow.  
 
Twelve of those deputies and detectives received the Meritorious Conduct award for their actions that night for conduct above the normal course of duties in the emergency. They included Deputy John Lancaster, Detective Sarah Martin, Detective Jerry Jones, Detective Sergeant Benny Kauffman, Deputy Steve Croft, Deputy Ray Sotomayor, Deputy Brendan Weldon, Sergeant George Johnson, Reserve Deputy Tyler Parker, Detective Blake Maness, and Chief Deputy Ryan Willcutt.
 
Chaplain Trad York and Chaplain Tim Turner received Sheriff’s Special Recognition Awards for their outstanding service, often helping deputies speak to victims, witnesses and family members. 
 
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office Foundation hosted the event.