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Hall County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Glenn Watson was recently honored as the Georgia Elks’ Public Safety Officer of the Year. Watson, an 18-year veteran of the department, was nominated for exemplary performance in his duties as a patrolman during 2010. In a single week in May, he assisted in responding to three bank robberies in the area. On the morning of May 20, as a bank robbery call was in progress, Watson observed a van with occupants that matched the description of the robbers. An investigation found them to be part of the serial robbery team and Watson arrested them. On Aug. 31, while patrolling the Brown’s Bridge Road area, Watson was able to identify two suspects during a traffic stop who were connected to several local burglaries. The suspects were arrested and charged with 12 burglaries as part of a local "fencing" operation for stolen property. In addition to the Elks award, Watson received the National Sheriff’s Association Medal of Merit and he was named the Hall County Sheriff’s Office 2010 Deputy of the Year for the Uniform Patrol Division. At a recent meeting, the Gainesville Lions Club bestowed its highest honor on the club’s outgoing president, Chuck Hewett, who was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions Clubs International Foundation. The award is given to an individual who has been recognized for dedicated humanitarian services in the community. It is named for the Lions’ founder. "This award is a high honor for Chuck," new President Mike Hall said. "Chuck stepped up to the plate to fill the role of president when he was needed. He has done his job enthusiastically and he has brought a lot of encouragement to the club." Hewett is employed as Chief of Security for the Hall County Sheriff’s Office. He has been a member of the Gainesville Lions Club since 1991. He and his wife, Dina, have one son, Lincoln. For more information on the Gainesville Lions Club, call 678-936-3911 or email n4hgo@bellsout.net.