Twenty-eight Otago Corrections Facility staff received long service awards this week for their cumulative 329 years of work for the department.
At a ceremony in Balclutha, custodial and non-custodial staff received 21-year clasps, 14-year medals or a seven-year acknowledgement.
Assistant regional manager Ants Howie said the average New Zealander spent about five years with one employer, so to have 28 staff with the department for longer than that was "extraordinary".
"Having these staff with us for this amount of time means we are retaining invaluable organisational knowledge and experience."
Twenty-one-year clasp: Christopher Dalton, senior corrections officer; Michael Fitzgerald, unit manager; Vicky Frost, unit manager; Lyn Hippolite, custodial systems coach; Barry Hodges, kitchen instructor; Fred Matenga, corrections officer; Shann Morrow, corrections officer; Tom Samuel, principal corrections officer; and Wayne Young, senior corrections officer.
Fourteen-year medal: Dave Fergusson, catering instructor.
Seven-year acknowledgement: Krissie Anderson, senior corrections officer; Paul Ashley, senior corrections officer; Eileen Buxcey, principal corrections officer; Kobus Faber, principal corrections officer; Ngapine Familton, senior corrections officer; Lane Groen, unit manager; Jack Harrison, prison manager; Ian Heine, corrections officer; Alan Herd, human resources adviser; Rob Hoogenraad, senior corrections officer; Roger Leslie, operations manager; Wayne Macaualy, senior corrections officer; Barry McCone, senior corrections officer; Phillip McLachlan, senior corrections officer; Peter Meads, principal corrections officer; Lyndal Miles, principal corrections officer; Michele Murphy, principal corrections officer; and Brent Murphy, senior corrections officer.
