Portal Officer Bobby Ivey and Bulloch Deputy Stephen Herndon named Public Servant officers of the Year | VIDEO

Portal Police Officer and Bulloch County Code Enforcement officer Bobby Ivey and Bulloch County Sheriff's Deputy Stephen Herndon were both named as the Bulloch County 2021 Public Servant Officers of the Year.

Ivey and Herndon received the Public Safety Officer of the Year award on Thursday night at the annual Bulloch County Public Safety Awards Ceremony held at the the Kiwanis building.

Below is a video of the awards ceremony in its entirety:

Officer Bobby Ivey was nominated by Bulloch County EMS, even though he has never worked for the agency, for his heroic rescue of a car crash victim whose car was on fire.

Deputy Herndon was nominated by Bulloch County Sheriff Noel Brown for his heroic actions in the I-16 car chase where the driver had taken a female hostage in Tattnall county. The chase ended on I-16 in Bulloch County with the abductor being shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with officers.

Public Servant Officers of the Year Award Nominees

Each public safety agency nominates an outstanding individual from their agency for the award. During the ceremony each nominee was introduced and a brief explanation of why they were nominated.

From the nominations the selection committee, which includes Retired Statesboro Police Chief Stan York, retired GBI SAC Charles Sikes and Bulloch County Commissioner Jappy Stringer, normally selects one recipient for the award.

This year both Ivey and Herndon's heroic acts in the line of duty were both worthy of the award. For this reason the committee agreed to give both the top award.

Medal of Meritorious Service

The committee also gave a new award, the Medal of Meritorious award, to Georgia Southern University Police Chief Laura McCullough.

Public Safety officers who died honored

Each public safety member, retired or active, who died this past year was recognized with a service award. Many of them had family members who attended and received this award and recognition on behalf of their loved one.

Ceremony leadership and sponsors

The annual ceremony is led by Bird Hodges with assistance from John Smith, Ricky Helton and Jake Futch and the Deal's Funeral Directors team.

Thanks to local business who generously sponsor the event every member of all public safety agencies were fed a low country boil by Ellis Meats. Members who were on duty had plates delivered to their agencies.

Public Safety Awards Ceremony sponsors:

• Bulloch Fertilizer and Anderson General Store
• Statesboro Floor Covering
• Wing Maxx
• Statesboro Transfer and Storage
• Dabbs, Hickman, Hill and Cannon
• Tillman, Brannen and Minick
• Deal's Furniture
• Lee, Hill and Johnston
• Haircuts by Darell
• Synovus
• Morris Bank
• Middleground Construction Inc. (Morris Fence Co.)
• Joiner Anderson Funeral Home
• Sack Company
• T.Q. Constructors, Inc. (Paul Rosell)
• Lori Grice Photography
• Grice Connect
• Dairy Queen
• FEMAC Security Solutions
• Kiwanis Club
• Durden Rental
• Franklin Chevrolet
• Ellis Meat Company
• Deal & Cook Pet Crematory
• Ellis Wood Contractors
• Holloway Construction
• Summer Brothers
• Bulloch First Bank
• Roadway Safety Solutions/Tommy Sisson
• Neal's Plumbing & Electric
• Express Tune and Lube
• D & R Intensive Care Care
• A.P. Wrecker Service
• Turner and Jones, LLC
• Backwood Armory
• R & R Insurance (Stevie Rushing)
• Ellis Meat Company
• Deal Funeral Directors

Grice Connect and Lori Grice Photography were honored to help sponsor this wonderful event. We join all the other businesses in saluting all of our public safety heros.

Daily as Grice Connect covers public safety's heroic and lifesaving work in our community, we are impressed and amazed by their level of commitment and sacrifice. What they do everyday is deserving of a Grice Good!

Thanks to each of you for your service from a grateful community.