The Maryland Correctional Administrators Association (MCAA) named Cpl. Robert Bernier as Correctional Officer of the Year for Charles County at the MCAA annual awards banquet held June 12 in Ocean City, Md.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office nominated Cpl. Bernier for the award because of his dedication to the Agency as the Security Maintenance Officer at the Charles County Detention Center. In this role, Cpl. Bernier is responsible for the upkeep of mechanical doors, electronic control panels and security camera systems. He also maintains an inventory of all keys in the Detention Center and ensures Maryland Occupational Safety and Health requirements are met.
"Cpl. Bernier has an excellent work ethic and he is very deserving of the MCCA's Correctional Officer of the Year award," said Capt. Tim Plumer, commander of the Corrections Division, which is responsible for the Detention Center. "He is someone I know I can always count on and he demonstrates his commitment to helping us run a top-notch facility everyday."
Cpl. Bernier's fellow employees often refer to him as "Doctor Bob" or "Bob, this Old Jail," because of his willingness and ability to repair anything in the Detention Center that is broken or malfunctioning. He has even come in during his time off to make repairs.
"It would be impossible to estimate how much money Cpl. Bernier has saved the Sheriff's Office by completing tasks we would otherwise have to call out a contractor to handle," said Capt. Plumer.
Cpl. Bernier is also a duly authorized inspector for the Maryland Commission on Correctional Standards (MCCS). The Commissioner has sent Cpl. Bernier to other correctional facilities to perform audits and he has contributed his expertise to the MCCS audits of the Charles County Detention Center.
"I am glad the MCCA has chosen to recognize such a diligent and knowledgeable correctional officer," said Charles County Sheriff Frederick E. Davis. "We are all very grateful for his many contributions to the Sheriff's Office and now he can serve as a role model for correctional officers around the State of Maryland."
The Charles County Sheriff's Office Corrections Division also named Cpl. Bernier their Correctional Officer of the Year during National Correctional Officers Week in May.