‘This is what we do every single day:’ Jacksonville detective who saved baby among officers honored
On Thursday morning, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office held its first award ceremony of the new year, celebrating officers and staffers who have made a difference in the community.
The award ceremony recognized outstanding work and promotions from this past year.
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The January 2023 Meritorious Award Ceremony honored JSO employees who Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said have all played a part in trying to make Jacksonville a safer place to live.
Detective Me’Atia Sanderson was one of a dozen JSO officers celebrated by peers and supervisors. She was awarded a medal of merit and a lifesaving medal.
Video from The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Facebook page shows Sanderson in June 2022 running into a retention pond to save a drowning baby boy. Keep in mind, Sanderson cannot swim. Once she finds the baby, she immediately performs CPR until emergency crews could come. Sanderson saved that baby.
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“If you see a child drowning or anybody really drowning it’s kind of like the human in you,” Sanderson said.
“She laid her life literally on the line to save someone else and this is what we do every single day,” Waters said.
Waters ended the award ceremony with a big thank you to everyone, adding that JSO is a family that’s looking for new hires and new recruits. He said if you would like to apply, visit joinjso.com. He said at this time, JSO is offering a $10,000 hiring bonus for corrections officers.
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