Guest commentary:

On May 5, 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Correctional Officers Week. Since then, the first full week of May has been marked by nationwide celebrations to recognize the vital public service of correctional personnel. The week includes a wreath-laying on May 9 at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor correctional officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

We have an excellent team of detention officers responsible for the safe care and custody of inmates in our detention facility, year-round, 24 hours a day. This profession entails far more than simply ‘guarding’ an inmate. Detention officers work in a challenging and stressful environment, and must be enormously patient and persistent.

Our detention officers take great pride in their weighty responsibility and are always on watch, always there to serve and always there to do everything they can to make sure both the inmates and the public are safe.

Please join me this week in thanking our detention officers for their great service.

- Roby Bowe is the Lincoln County Sheriff