After the completion of the yearly Sheriff’s Department ReserveClass, Lincoln County now has eight more certified reservesheriff’s deputies, and one of them carries a specialdistinction.

Justin Case, 32, of Brookhaven, was chosen from the class of 11cadets to win the award that was once the “Top Cadet” award. Hesaid he was extremely moved to be the first winner of the newlynamed “Stephen J. Davis Memorial Award of Excellence.”

“Words can’t describe it,” he said Saturday during graduationceremonies. “It’s a great accomplishment that I didn’t expect.”

Davis won the Top Cadet award for 2008’s reserve class. He waskilled June 2 in a plane crash in Copiah County, but sheriff’sdepartment officials said his dedication, skill and enthusiasm willlive on through the years in the award that now carries hisname.

“I knew Steve for many years,” said Sheriff Steve Rushing. “Thisaward is in honor of all the qualities exemplified in the life ofSteve Davis.”

Case, an oilfield worker, was also given a Glock handgun donatedby Reliable Arms owner Mike Campbell, who graduated with Davis’reserve class last year and helped with some of the trainingclasses for 2009.

“I was blessed to graduate with Steve and after his untimelydeath, we were having a hard time with PT that night,” he said. “Itold them all to pull it out for Steve and that’s what they did.It’s powerful what they’ve done here. They’ve all reached so deepto accomplish this.”

Davis’ parents, Iddo and Lynn Davis, and several other familymembers and friends attended the ceremony on his behalf. Lynn Davissaid that her son would have been humbled by the honor, but hewould have loved it.

“We’re honored that Steve Rushing and the rest of the sheriff’sdepartment would name this in memory of Steve,” Iddo Davissaid.

The class had cadets not only from Lincoln County, but also fromdepartments in surrounding counties, and there were classes held ineverything from courtroom techniques to firearms to subjectcontrol.

Class instructor Capt. Dustin Bairfield said members of thegroup had not only learned things that applied to being officers,but they had also come closer to their classmates.

“I think several of them have nicknames now from PT,” he said.”It’s been tough, but they stayed with it and worked really hard.I’m really proud of each and every one of them.”

Jeff Ainsworth, who was the class leader, won the award forphysical training. He said there were times the training was sohard that the cadets wondered what they’d gotten themselves into.He said the PT part, led by Chief Deputy Johnny Hall, wasparticularly tough.

“I remember the first night, Capt. (Dustin) Bairfield wastalking to us and he was really calm, and I thought, ‘This won’t beso bad.’ Then he said, ‘Scooby, they’re all yours,'” he said,laughing. “That was not good.”

Blake Wallace of Bogue Chitto won the firearms award for theclass, with Dustin Vanderslice taking home the honors for subjectcontrol. Gloster’s Wardell Haynes won the classroom award.

Rushing said that now most of his reserves are certified, whichhas been a goal of his during his administration. In addition, hesaid, the graduating class this year is particularly strong.

“I’m proud of all of them, and I’m proud of their hard work overthe last four months,” he said. “Having this class here gives otheragencies the opportunity to get their officers certified, too, andwe’re proud to have it here.”