Lt. Chris Owens, a 21-year veteran of law enforcement, was awarded the Georgia Elks Association’s Public Safety Officer of the Year for 2008-2009 during a reception held in his honor Monday evening at Tifton’s Elks Lodge. Family members, friends and colleagues attended to show Owens their appreciation.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure,” Owens commented. “My family’s here and there’s a lot of noise and celebration. I’m proud and grateful for what the lodge does for law enforcement.”

Owens, who is employed by the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, was honored in April as 2007 Public Safety Officer of the Year by the Tifton Elks Lodge #1114 at its annual banquet, along with other winners from the various local public service agencies in the city and county.

Each year, the Tifton Elks Lodge has honored a representative of each public safety-related office in the City of Tifton and Tift County with the awards. The overall winner of “Officer of the Year” is submitted to the Georgia Elks Association’s Public Safety Officer of the Year competition. Maj. Jack Woolard of the Tift County Sheriff’s Office won local and state Officer of the Year honors from the association for 2006-2007.

Tift County Sheriff Gary Vowell said Woolard was a mentor to Owens.

“If you know Chris, you see a little bit of Jack Woolard,” Vowell said. “That says a lot about a man.”

According to incoming BPOE #1114 Exalted Ruler Dan Lockhart, each of the agencies’ department heads is asked to submit nominations for officer of the year. A committee of Elks members then choose the honoree from those nominations. Each nominee from every agency received recognition and a handsome plaque during Tuesday’s banquet. Vowell attended the BPOE convention in Jekyll Island last week and Owens was honored there and received the award. Monday night, Tift County Commission Chairman Grady Thompson read a proclamation in Owens’ honor.