Deputies recognized for service
Hackman, Flowers secure top honors
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:25 AM PDT
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| Malheur County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Hackman stand next to a Sheriff’s Office vehicle last week. Hackman was honored with the Education Award of Excellence at the Oregon State Marine Board’s annual post-season conference in Bend Oct. 14. |
Vale — Two Malheur County Marine Patrol officers received state-wide recognition recently for their work to help keep kids and adults safe on the waves.
Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Anthony Hackman was honored with the Education Award of Excellence at the Oregon State Marine Board’s annual post-season conference in Bend, Oct. 14.
“(Hackman) well deserves the Education Award for conducting 46 school education programs,” Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Marine Board Dale Flowers said in a press release. “He effectively taught 1,643 children how to be safe in and around water.”
Hackman said he visited all Malheur County schools, armed with activity books and a video from the marine board, in order to teach area students about safe boating. Flowers said he believed it was “an enormous accomplishment” to speak to school children throughout Malheur County because of how packed school curriculums are. Hackman said his resources are geared toward second-and third-graders. He also said he brings the sheriff’s office’s boat to some of the schools to teach students how to act when on a boat.
“No running around,” Hackman said of his advice.
Hackman said this is his fourth season with Malheur County Search and Rescue and he has been with the sheriff’s office for seven year, and that he believes the department has won about three awards in the past.
He said he has been interested in boating since he was a teenager and enjoys working with children. Hackman said the AquaSmart program focuses on ten helpful hints to keep youth safe in the water: learn to swim, wear a life jacket, learn to float, learn to rescue safely, look before you leap, don’t overload your boat, stay with your boat, learn the boating rules of the road, alcohol, drugs and boating don’t mix, and keep our waterways clean.
He also said he has taught adults about the importance of boat safety through pamphlets from the National Safe Boating Council.
However, Hackman was not the only person honored in Bend. Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brad Williams also received a Special Instructor Award for training other law enforcement personnel at marine schools.
“Sergeant Williams always goes the extra mile,” Flowers said in a press release. “He can see what a student needs and works with them until the skill becomes second nature.”
However, Hackman said the day-long Bend event was not all about honoring marine law enforcement officers. The programs at the beginning of the day, which we’re also attended by Williams, Sgt. Robert Speelman, and Deputy David Kesey educated the officers about new boating laws and procedures.
