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May 2nd, 2011

Skagit County District Court Probation Department honored with Program of the Year and Outstanding Leadership awards

SKAGIT COUNTY - The Skagit County District Court Probation Department received the "Program of the Year" award at a recent annual conference of the Washington Misdemeanant Corrections Association (MCA). The department received the award for the Domestic Violence Education Program recently instituted and administered by the Probation Department. Skagit County District Court Probation Department Director Linda Eiford noted that the innovative program was conceived and developed by the Skagit County Inter-Agency Task Force, which is made up of members from law enforcement, prosecution, probation, treatment agencies, and others.

The Domestic Violence Education Program is geared towards first or second-time Domestic Violence offenders who are found eligible for the abbreviated education program rather than an extended treatment program. The program is directed toward reducing recidivism and breaking the cycle of domestic violence.

Eiford hastened to add that credit for this award be given to probation officer Mike Mahoney, Dr. Tim Tackels from Skagit Recovery Center, Mike Lumpkin from the Mount Vernon Police Department, Sergeant LinTucker of the Sedro-Woolley Police Department, Sergeant Ron Coakley of the Skagit County Sheriff's Office, and Prosecutors Ed Norton and Russell Brown. "Without the efforts of these people, the program would never have worked," Eiford said.

Eiford is a two-time recipient of the MCA Probation Director of the Year, and also received a 2011 MCA award for "Outstanding Leadership."

For more information, contact Skagit County District Court Judge David Svaren at dsvaren@co.skagit.wa.us or at 360-336-9319.