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Edge, Eggers named jail's 2022 Employees of the Year

The Chelan County Regional Justice Center has announced its 2022 Deputy of the Year and 2022 Support Staff of the Year.

Corrections Deputy of the Year is Williams “Will” Edge, who has been with the jail three years. And Support Staff of the Year for the second consecutive year is mental health professional Sara Eggers, who has been with the jail for seven years.

To be honored at an upcoming professional dinner, Edge and Eggers were nominated by their peers and chosen by a committee. Selection was based on the following criteria:

Did the nominee distinguish themselves throughout the 2022 calendar year with an exceptional performance?
Did the nominee consistently exemplify the department’s values?
Did the nominee contribute to advancing the department’s mission?
Did the nominee take on additional duties, responsibilities and strive to advance their individual section?

Corrections Deputy Williams Edge

The award nomination for Edge describes the corrections deputy as “dedicated, punctual and innovative” and as an employee who “performs his tasks with zeal and determination.”

“Deputy Edge is usually at the forefront when any employee needs assistance with his or her work,” writes Cpl. John Wright in the nomination. “I have personally seen him lead younger team members and set the example laid out by our mission statement. In most cases, he takes the role of a senior floor officer and has been witnessed to go above and beyond his job duties. His leadership skills and positive attitude are evident in how he successfully gets along with all departments and has an excellent reputation. His pride in his job and the department are qualities all employees should strive for.”

Jail Director Chris Sharp describes Edge as a “team player who is always willing to help out.” In fact, Edge is a field training officer, working with new employees, and he also assists as a safety officer during the jail’s training for Controlled Tactics staff.

“Deputy Edge’s smile in infectious and his attitude is always on the positive side,” Sharp adds. “In his short time employed here, he has obviously impressed his co-workers. Deputy Edge is a joy to be around and that is awesome, considering the sometimes-difficult environment and setting we work in daily.”

As for Edge, he says of his job:

Working at the jail has given me a completely different perspective on life and what people in the general public are going through. Working at the jail also gives me an opportunity to assist people in distress as well as communicate with them through the rough patches that they may be facing in life at the moment. Since working for CCRJC, I have been given the ability to work in a team environment once again and learn from those who have been here longer than me. In the three years that I've been working at the jail, I have become more familiar with the history of Chelan County and have witnessed many people’s changes prior to incarceration as well as post incarceration. I've been honored to be able to train new officers and watch them grow right in front of my eyes. 

Sara Eggers, RN, mental health professional

This year’s nomination for Eggers states she continues to bring “hard work, dedication and team spirit to our jail.” Eggers has stepped up this past year, covering shifts and assisting outside of her job. She always has the Medical Department’s back, the nomination states.

“Sara comes to work with a smile and a great attitude that is contagious to anyone that works with her. She has proven to be excellent at her job, and she impresses me daily with her ability to assess and counsel our most challenging inmate population,” writes Billye Tollackson, health care manager at the jail. “…I see huge potential in Sara and my hope is that she will see how much we need and appreciate her and all her hard work. I think she will continue to be a great asset to the Chelan County jail in the years to come.”

Sharp adds that Eggers passion for people and their good health is evident to those around her.

“It is very obvious that Sara has a passion to work with people who have mental health issues and who are incarcerated in our facility,” Sharp says. “She is always working with internal and external stakeholders to gain the best possible outcome for the people she works with. She sacrifices her time over and over again to help assist our Medical Department when it is experiencing a staff shortage for a shift.”

And Eggers says of her job:

Ever since I stepped foot in this facility, when I was in nursing school for my preceptorship, I wanted to help this population of people. Every day is different and you will never be able to predict or guess what will happen next in my department. This allows me to continually grow and work on my critical thinking skills, while coordinating with inner departments to accomplish our goal. Teamwork is the key for this department and having our administration support us 100 percent allows for our mentally ill population to get the help they need as quickly as possible. One of the things I can't express enough that I enjoy about working at our facility, is watching my co-workers do their job in one of the toughest environments. I have pride in who I work with, which makes the more challenging days easier knowing with the amazing support I have.

I also have much pride in the work that I do for the population I serve. I have seen people who are hopeless with no motivation be released from jail, only to follow through on the plan that was set for them. I have worked diligently with my co-workers to think outside of the box with each of these individuals who are struggling, to provide them with opportunities while incarcerated for them to have a better quality of life. My job means that I, paired with my co-workers, have the ability to give someone hope and provide them with an environment that is ever evolving to meet their needs. This may not be glamorous or what people would even consider desirable for a nursing position, but the rewarding feeling that I have with my career tells me I'm exactly where I need to be.

Last Updated: 03/21/2023 02:08 PM