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SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS

On Friday, March 28, Sheriff Jason Smith presented two citations and promoted a deputy to Sergeant during his monthly all-hands meeting at the courthouse in Franklinton. Every month, The Sheriff meets with his deputies to discuss changes, provide updates, and present awards.

Sheriff Smith would like to congratulate Jonathan Shane Hickman on his promotion from Deputy First Class to Sergeant. Sgt. Hickman, 37, has been a Deputy Sheriff for two years and has a total of 4 years of Law Enforcement experience. Prior to his career in Law Enforcement, Sgt. Hickman served 4 years in the United States Army.

Deputies Keaton Ruffino and Katherine Ordoyne were both presented with citations for their actions following a mass shooting that took place in Franklinton on March 2. Ruffino and Ordoyne were both near the shooting when it happened, and after securing the area, jumped into action to treat and stabilize victims until medical professionals arrived on scene. Following the incident, both Deputies escorted the victims to nearby hospitals and provided security, despite having already worked a 12-hour shift that day.

Despite both being relatively new to the Sheriff’s Office, Deputies Ruffino and Ordoyne acted upon their training to quickly assess a chaotic situation and render aid to those in need. Their actions that day exemplify the spirit of sacrifice and service that all Deputy Sheriff’s aspire to, and could very well have saved the lives of the victims that they treated.