At the start of the Feb. 14, 2022, Pinckney Village Council meeting, Pinckney Police Chief Jeff Newton was presented with the Patriot Award by National Guard volunteer Keith Sousa.
The Patriot Award is given by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense Program that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the National Guard and Reserve.
Pinckney police officer Jeff Finke, a member of the National Guard Reserve currently deployed in Kuwait, nominated Newton for the award. Finke noted that throughout his seven years with the department, he has been deployed overseas twice and called for extended trainings numerous times, and each time his service has been accommodated, his job held, and he has been welcomed back into the department like he never left.
The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support National Guard reservists through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.
