An Aiken County detention center deputy received top honors at the S.C. Jail Administrators Association conference - the third time in four years a local jailer has won the award.
Cpl. Tonetta Buggs was recognized with the association's Detention Officer of the Year award, which honors "those uniformed employees who really hold our place together," according to the association. Buggs was recognized last weekend at the association's conference in Myrtle Beach.
"I was shocked," she said. "Just being nominated was a lot. And then when they said, 'The award goes to' - speechless."
The award is open to all county and municipal jail employees around the state, and is voted on by a committee of jail administrators.
All nominations must be approved by the administrator of the jail in which the officer works. Capt. Nick Gallam, jail administrator for the Aiken County detention center, said it was an easy decision, noting Buggs won the jail's Deputy of the Month award twice in the past year.
"She's one of those employees you wish you could make a mold of and pump out about 20 or 30 of them," he said, praising Buggs' work effort and attention to detail.
Buggs has been at the jail for about eight years. She started as a pod deputy and worked her way up to booking officer. She now is a corporal in the classification division.
"That's a lot of data entry and dealing with intoxicated inmates," Gallam said. "She doesn't complain when you ask her to do something, even if it's a task that's not well-sought-after. She's going to knock it out and not complain."
Gallam said it's the third time in four years an Aiken County deputy won the award, with former officer Michael Dennis taking home the honor in 2012 and 2014.
"Being picked out of the bunch - it's a good thing," Gallam said. "A lot of times in the jail business, people don't see the hard work these guys do back there day in and day out, dealing with people who are probably dealing with the worst day of their lives. It means a lot to be able to showcase them."
Buggs thanked God and her co-workers for helping her get to this point.
"I'd like to thank my family and friends who have been very supportive, patient and understanding with the long hours worked, missed holidays and birthdays," she said. "Remain humble, continue to do good deeds, and in the end, hard work pays off," she said.
Teddy Kulmala covers the crime and courts beat for the Aiken Standard.