NORWICH – The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office held its 19th Annual Award Ceremony last Friday, honoring patrol, corrections, dispatch and civilian personnel.

The list of those receiving honors includes “officers who rose above and beyond the call of duty, even in their personal lives,” said Sheriff Ernest R. Cutting Jr.

More than 100 people attended the awards dinner at the Sheriff’s Office March 4.

The Joseph J. Benenati Jr. award, named in honor of the former sheriff, was presented to Deputy Dwight F. Meade. Undersheriff James Lloyd said the Benenati Award represents a lifetime of achievements by Meade, who is a 24-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.

Beginning his career in January 1987 by joining the patrol division, Meade became the office’s first full-time civil deputy in March 2004. His duties included the serving of court document involving the Chenango County family, civil and criminal court. He also handled all property evictions and income executions issues by the county, along with a number of other civil processes, explained Lloyd. The undersheriff reported Meade had served more than 9,000 civil papers since 2004. Meade still remains an active members of the road patrol, responding to complaints and assisting other deputies in regular enforcement.