Correctional Officer

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

5/24/2017

Special Act Award (Gold)

On May 24, 2017, at 10:20 a.m., in the Pelican Bay State Prison outdoor exercise yard, holding approximately three hundred inmates, a one-on-one fight started. Correctional officers responded to the fight to stop the incident. While responding staff were attempting to quell the incident, approximately 130 inmates began rushing and attacking the officers. Officer Zachery McCully tried to secure the gate that separates the yards, but was unable to do so due to the sheer number of attacking inmates. As Officer McCully was fighting with an inmate, he heard "officer down," and broke away from the inmate he was engaged with to respond to an officer who was lying on the ground bleeding from a wound on his head, and who appeared to be unconscious. As Officer McCully responded and he began to evaluate his condition, he observed an isolated officer holding onto the fence. Due to the sheer numbers of inmates attacking that officer, Officer McCully could only see occasional flashes of a green uniform. Officer McCully feared for that officer's life due to the numbers and ferocity from such a violent attack and responded to that officer. Once there, he was able to tell it was the yard sergeant. Officer McCully utilized force to stop the vicious attack. As Officer McCully and another officer attempted to get the sergeant and themselves out of the area, inmates who had previously been in a prone position, got up and attacked Officer McCully with a barrage of punches to the head and upper chest. Officer McCully was knocked to the ground and his baton was taken from him, but Officer McCully managed to get back to his feet and retreat to a safe location. With no regard for his own safety, Officer McCully’s heroic act saved the lives of fellow officers and inmates in the face of a large prison fight. The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Gold Medal of Valor to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Correctional Officer Zachery McCully.