Awards and Appreciation, Beyond the Badge

Juan Farias named SCC Correctional Officer of Year

Juan Farias Officer of the Year in Sierra Conservation Center.
Officer Juan “Sammy” Farias receives his award from SCC acting Warden Joshua Prudhel.

The Angels-Murphys Rotary Club honored Correctional Officer Juan “Sammy” Farias as one of three law enforcement first responders with Officer of the Year awards for the 2023.

Farias, who works at Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) in Jamestown, received the Correctional Officer of the Year for his many contributions to in-service training, the Crisis Response Team, mutual aid coordination, and his commitment to public service even while not on duty.

The ceremony was held June 13, 2024, in Murphys.

For his off-duty actions during a school emergency in 2022, Farias was also honored with the bronze star in September 2023 at the Medal of Valor ceremony.

“Sammy is one of the hardest-working, get-the-task done right kind of person. When the Rotary reached out to us for a nomination this year, the first person that came to many of the managers’ minds was Juan ‘Sammy’ Farias,” said acting Warden Joshua Prudhel.

Story submitted by Lt. R.S. Jauregui

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