On December 7, 2017, Governor Nathan Deal recognized 13 public safety professionals for acts of heroism and two for outstanding contribution to profession at the Governor’s Public Safety Awards ceremony in Forsyth. The recipients were given medallions and their names were added to the Governor’s Public Safety Awards’ monument located inside the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.
“It is a privilege for me to pay tribute to these public safety professionals. Each of them is individually reflective of Georgia’s most admirable virtues,” said Deal.
Five of the 13 honorees and recipients of the 2017 Governor’s Public Safety Awards were state law enforcement personnel from the Department of Natural Resources and Georgia Department of Corrections.
Acts of Heroism Recipients:
- Patrick Gibbs, Dept. of Natural Resources LE Div.
- Bobby White, Dept. of Natural Resources LE Div.
- Peter Morris, Dept. of Corrections
- Daniel Lyle Wilkes, Dept. of Corrections
Outstanding Contribution to Profession Recipient:
- Eddie Henderson, Dept. of Natural Resources LE Div.
Colonel Eddie Henderson was presented the Outstanding Contribution to Profession award for his career-long “dedication and commitment to the Game Warden profession of yesterday, today and tomorrow.” Game Wardens Cpl. Bobby White and RFC Patrick Gibbs were recognized for a 2016 act of heroism in which they rescued a small child from drowning on the Altamaha River in Long County.
Department of Corrections special agents Daniel Lyle Wilkes and Peter Morris, who are assigned to the United States Marshals Service Southeast Regional Task Force, were recognized for their bravery displayed during an operation where their comrade lost his life during a fugitive investigation. Without hesitation and while under gun fire, Wilkes and Morris aided their team members in the rescue and treatment of their fellow officer.
The annual Governor’s Public Safety Awards program began in 1998 to recognize public safety officers who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect citizens and make significant contributions to the public safety profession at large.
The Governor’s Public Safety Awards program recognizes public safety professionals in the following two categories:
Acts of Heroism – Recognizes those who, within the previous year, performed an exceptional deed that resulted in saving lives and/or protecting property.
Outstanding Contribution to Profession – Recognizes those whose job performance had an overwhelming positive effect on the overall profession.
Personnel from each discipline of public safety, as well as state employees with public safety authority, are eligible to receive the award.
Congratulations to these state employees for this well deserved honor, and many thanks for the outstanding work they do on a daily basis to keep our communities safe.
