Lake County Corrections Officer Named Illinois Sheriff's Association 'Correctional Officer of the Year'

The Lake County Sheriff's Office is pleased to announce Corrections Officer Elvis Fejzic was recently awarded the 2020 Correctional Officer of the Year Award by the Illinois Sheriffs' Association.

Sheriff John D. Idleburg nominated CO Fejzic for the award after he successfully saved two lives by stopping two inmate suicide attempts in 2020.

In August of 2020, CO Fejzic observed an inmate attempting to choke himself with a bedsheet. CO Fejzic immediately took action, entered the inmate's cell and unwrapped the sheet from around the inmate's neck. A month later, CO Fejzic located an inmate attempting suicide with a T-shirt in his jail cell. CO Fejzic and his partner, Corrections Officer Matthew Outinen, immediately entered the inmate's cell, cut the shirt off of the inmate's neck, and administered first-aid.

Additionally, due to CO Fejzic was recognized for his thoroughness, as he prevented numerous items of contraband from entering the interior of the jail.

Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, "I am very proud of Corrections Officer Elvis Fejzic and excited he received such a prestigious award from the Illinois Sheriffs' Association. The dedication and service-oriented mindset of our corrections officers often go unseen by the community, as their heroic actions occur behind closed doors. Each and every day, our corrections officers work diligently to make a positive impact on those incarcerated and continually participate in efforts to reduce recidivism."