News Release - May 13, 2010
Georgia Department of Corrections
Brian Owens, Commissioner
Director of Public Affairs
Joan Heath
Contact: Office of Public Affairs (404) 656-9772
STATE OF GEORGIA
For Immediate Release
GDC Names Bobby Franklin Award Winner
Correctional Officer Clements Presented With Award
Atlanta – The Department of Corrections presented Matthew Clements with the Bobby Franklin Award at the Sixth Annual GDC Awards program on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the State Offices South at Tift College in Forsyth.
“Clements is a dedicated employee with a willingness to learn,” said Commissioner Brian Owens. “We are proud to have him as a part of our team,” added Owens.
Matthew Clements is a Correctional Officer at Johnson State Prison and is also a member of the Georgia National Guard. He is currently serving in Afghanistan.
The Bobby Franklin Award was created to honor the memory of Correctional Officer Bobby Franklin of the Colwell Probation Detention Center. Officer Franklin died on August 20, 2003 while deployed in Iraq. He was a Staff Sergeant with the 210th National Guard Military Police in Franklin, North Carolina and voluntarily lengthened his tour of duty to remain with his troops. He lived in Mineral Bluff, Georgia with his wife and two children and had been employed with the Department of Corrections since 1987.
Several key officials were on hand for the ceremony, which was attended by more than 300 guests. Making the award presentation with the Commissioner were Board of Corrections Chairman Larry Wynn, Assistant Corrections Commissioner Derrick Schofield, and special guest speaker, Brigadier General (Ret.) C. Stewart Rodeheaver.
The Department of Corrections is the fifth largest prison system in the United States and is responsible for supervising nearly 60,000 state prisoners and over 150,000 probationers. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 13,000 employees.
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