2019 James Henderson Award Winner Named

Commissioner : Timothy C. Ward

Director of Public Affairs : Joan Heath

Joshua Timothy recognized

FORSYTH, Ga. –  The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) honored Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) Officer Joshua Timothy of the Georgia Diagnostic & Classification Prison, with the James Henderson Award at the 15th Annual GDC Awards ceremony on September 24 at GDC headquarters in Forsyth, Ga.  Several key officials were on hand for the ceremony, which was attended by more than 400 guests. Making the award presentation with Commissioner Timothy C. Ward were Alton Russell, Board of Corrections Chairman, Christopher Clark and Donnie Pope, Board of Corrections, and Assistant Commissioner Ricky Myrick.

“CERT Officer Timothy is an invaluable member of the agency who takes his oath seriously, valuing both a safe and secure facility,” said Assistant Commissioner Ricky Myrick.  “He is always consistent, knowledgeable and a strong team member.”  

CERT Officer Timothy is second in charge of a highly trained and skilled special operation CERT unit at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison.  In February 2019, CERT Officer Timothy’s training and skills provided him with the ability to stay calm and focused during an emergency situation at the facility.  Thanks to his quick thinking and action no staff were physically harmed.

The James Henderson Award was created to honor the memory of Correctional Officer James Henderson of Georgia State Prison for placing service above self and extraordinary bravery beyond the call of duty. Officer Henderson died on June 3, 2002 of injuries sustained in the line of duty. He was a valued officer at Georgia State Prison from 1994-2002. Henderson was an Army veteran who served in Korea, Germany and the United States.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.