2019 Corrections Officer of the Year

For Immediate Release:

Walton County Detention Deputy Honored as the Florida Sheriffs Association

Tallahassee, Fla. (January 22, 2019)—The Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) is pleased to announce that Walton County Detention Deputy Thomas Corbett has been selected as the 2019 Corrections Officer of the Year. Each year, the award is presented at the FSA Winter Conference to an officer who has demonstrated exceptional service in the line of duty. This award is sponsored by Star & Shield Insurance Services.

Deputy Corbett is applauded for his unending service to the community and life-saving heroism in the line of duty. Due to his dedication to helping others while on and off duty, he has been nominated for his courageous service and received a Life Saving Medal.

Early in 2018, Corbett saved a young boy’s life. Only one day after receiving CPR and First Aid training, he intervened as the boy began choking in a local restaurant where Corbett happened to be eating. Without hesitation, Deputy Corbett used his heroic abilities and new training to save the child’s life by performing abdominal thrusts until the food was dislodged from his airway.

Deputy Corbett was not initially planning to attend the lunch. If it were not for another deputy encouraging him to go, the outcome of that day might have been very different.

“Call it divine intervention,” Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said. “Whatever you believe in, there was something at work here.”

On March 4, 2018, Detention Deputy Corbett saved another person’s life while enjoying an off-duty lunch with his son. While eating, Corbett heard gunshots and immediately sprung into action. When he arrived at the scene, he found the wounded victim and without hesitation began to administer CPR. He controlled the victim’s bleeding until EMT services arrived.

“Detention Deputy Corbett has proven to be a guy you want around when an emergency occurs,” said Lieutenant Georgina Hicks. “As first responders, we are trained to act on or off duty to provide care for those in need of medical assistance.”

The Florida Sheriffs Association Corrections Officer of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Star & Shield Insurance Services. Allen Durham, President and CEO of Star & Shield Insurance Services, said: “We are greatly appreciative to Walton County Detention Deputy Corbett for his incredible dedication both on and off duty. A well-deserved honor presented by the Florida Sheriffs Association to Detention Deputy Corbett as the 2019 Corrections Officer of the Year.”

During the annual winter conference banquet, Corbett was given a standing ovation from the 500-plus law enforcement attendees and their supporters.

Video available to view here: https://youtu.be/rqX7H4L7FX0