On June 11, 2016, Captain Michael R. Merican, Warden of the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, was presented the Sal Russoniello Service Award during The Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association (MASCA) 78th Annual Conference and Training Event held in Ocean City, Maryland.
The award is presented to a professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary devotion to advancing the educational mission of the Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association (MASCA), composed of Correctional Institutions throughout Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
As a thirty-three year veteran of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Captain Merican has served in a wide variety of positions. He has acquired a vast amount of training throughout his career with an extensive amount of specialized training in the administrative arena. Captain Merican’s last ten years have been devoted to Warden of the St. Mary’s County Detention Center. Some of his contributions and achievements in advancing the correctional mission, to name a few, include:
2002
Reimplementation the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Detainee Housing Program
2008
2008
Recipient of joint grant with Department of Social Services (DSS) for inmate re-entry program targeting non-custodial parents
2008
2008
Recipient of state grant for recognizing inmate gang activity and counter-intelligence
2009
2009
Recipient of state grant for automating Jail Security Checks
2010
2010
Honorary Correctional Officer of the Quarter
2011-2015
2011-2015
Maryland Correctional Administrators Association (MCAA) Vice President and President
2014
2014
Appointed to Governors Commissions on Pretrial Reform
2014-Present
2014-Present
Development and implementation of the first interoperable jail/prison management system
2015
Recipient of a state grant for Inmate Vivitrol and Naloxone Program to combat opioid abuse
2015
2015
Designed and implemented a pretrial service unit to address alternatives to incarceration and supervision
2016
2016
Selected to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) Forensic Services Work Group to address incarceration of the mentally ill