Bradford County sheriff presents life‑saving awards to jail staff after inmate self‑harm response

Bradford County sheriff’s staff presented life‑saving awards at the Feb. 20 county commission meeting to Sergeant Carla D'Sou and Deputy Daniel Miller for actions taken in November when they found an inmate who had severely cut himself and required immediate medical aid.

According to the sheriff’s presentation, staff reviewing video footage saw an inmate “asking for help” and saying, “I've cut. I'm bleeding, and I'm fixing to die.” Lieutenant Johnson, who reviewed the footage, told the board the inmate called for help and that jail personnel responded quickly. Sheriff’s staff said Sergeant D'Sou applied pressure to the wound while staff activated EMS; the inmate was transported, treated at a hospital and returned to the facility where he was placed on constant observation and suicide watch.

The sheriff described the response as having likely prevented a fatality: “We were this close to having another fatality in our facility. But because of the brave and immediate actions of our staff, we saved untold dollars in lawsuits, medical, and all those other things,” the sheriff said during the presentation.

Major Don McKinley and Lieutenant Johnson were identified in the presentation as command staff involved in the incident response and in nominating the officers for recognition. The board presented certificates and a public acknowledgment of the corrections staff’s quick actions.

Why this matters: county officials said the incident underscores the operational responsibilities of correctional staff, the need for medical and mental‑health protocols in detention settings, and the importance of training and staffing in preventing fatalities.

Ending: The awards were presented at the meeting; no further board action was taken.