Correctional Officer Paula Greer and Correctional Officer Kimberly Haney both received the Valor Award at a ceremony Thursday in recognition of their quick actions during an attempted hostage situation inside the Telford Unit in New Boston this past summer.
On July 26, an offender was being escorted from a medical area back to his cell when he stormed into an examination room, closed the door and held a nurse in a choke hold while holding a homemade weapon to her neck. Instinctively Officer Haney opened the door and ordered the offender to let the nurse go but he refused. Without hesitation, she grabbed chemical agents and sprayed the inmate.
Almost simultaneously Officer Greer responded to the situation and she also administered her chemical agents on the offender who only then released his grip on the nurse. Haney quickly grabbed the nurse and pulled her out of the room. They then secured the offender and weapon before moving the inmate to another location inside the Telford Unit.
Telford Unit Warden Joseph Wilson says both Officer Greer and Haney went above and beyond the call of duty with their actions. “Both officers did an outstanding job that day,” he said. “We are very fortunate that they used their training to quickly defuse the situation while sticking to the agency’s core values.”
Officer Greer began working for TDCJ nine years ago. Officer Haney joined TDCJ twelve years ago.
