JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office corrections officer who rescued a woman from a creek after she jumped from a bridge has been named the Florida Sheriffs Association’s 2026 Corrections Officer of the Year.
Officer Obbie Johnson received the honor during the Florida Sheriffs Association’s 2026 Winter Conference. The award recognizes a corrections officer who demonstrates exceptional courage, commitment and service in the line of duty.
According to the Florida Sheriffs Association, Johnson’s actions stemmed from an incident on May 1, 2025, while he was working evening meal service at a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office facility. An inmate alerted staff to a possible emergency outside the secure perimeter, reporting that a woman had jumped from the Duval Street Bridge into Hogans Creek.
Johnson immediately notified his supervisor and responded to the area, exiting the secure compound to search the creek. He located the woman floating face down in the water and, without hesitation, removed his duty belt and jacket before entering the chest-deep, murky creek.
Johnson pulled the unconscious woman to the opposite bank, navigating a steep, muddy embankment. He determined she was unresponsive, not breathing and had no pulse. Johnson began chest compressions and continued CPR for approximately 10 minutes while rescue crews worked to reach the remote location.
Each time the woman stopped breathing, Johnson resumed lifesaving efforts until emergency medical personnel arrived. The woman regained responsiveness and breathing and was transported to UF Health Hospital for further treatment.
“Officer Johnson’s actions speak to the very heart of why we wear this badge, because every life matters,” Florida Sheriffs Association President and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said. “He did not wait, he did not hesitate, and he did not act for recognition. He acted because people in peril are counting on someone to step forward.”
Lemma added that Johnson’s willingness to act, despite the personal risk involved, reflects the highest standards of the profession.
“That courage and instinct to serve and protect embodies the very best of policing and reminds us all why we chose this calling,” he said.
Johnson was recognized during the association’s 2026 Winter Conference alongside Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and representatives from Securus Technologies.
