Established in 1984 by former President Ronald Reagan, National Correctional Officers Week is celebrated annually during the first full week of May. This year, that week will be May 5 to 11. At the time, Reagan saw the need to create a week for correctional officers to thank them for their services and to celebrate their contributions to society.

The Knox County Jail is located in Rockland, where as many as 40 corrections officers and associated staff are responsible for the round-the-clock oversight and care of those who are incarcerated or awaiting trial. 

We recognize correctional officers who exemplify professionalism, integrity, and strength in a challenging and often dangerous work environment.

Like the patrol division, the jail is a division of the Sheriff’s Office.

Among those who work in the Knox County Jail is Hannah Bickford, who received statewide recognition with the Outstanding Achievement Award, presented at the annual Maine Sheriff’s Association conference in March. Bickford, who was nominated for the award by her peers, was hired as a full-time correctional officer for the Knox County Correctional Facility in 2022 when she was just 19 years old.

As was true in a lot of organizations, the post-Covid era put a great deal of stress on management and frontline employees. Vacancies multiplied, and in many instances, employees in many businesses and industries had the choice to work remotely. In the corrections industry, however, working from home is not an option. During that period, staffing at the jail dropped to approximately 60 percent which resulted in supervisory staff performing line functions, and an enormous amount of mandatory overtime for everyone.

While many corrections officers worked selflessly to keep the facility afloat, Bickford was singled out for her continued support of her coworkers and her willingness to go above and beyond. She is now working toward getting her field training officer certification and aspires to take on increased responsibilities.

Also recognized in March by the Maine Sheriff’s Association was retired Transport Supervisor Warren Heath III. Sergeant Heath served in several corrections roles over 28 years. He stood out among his peers for the Community Service Award. As a true community leader who is compassionate and professional, Heath regularly puts his personal life on hold to help anyone who needs it. An ordained minister, Heath is routinely involved in fundraising and other events to support his community.