Bob Barker Company attended the 42nd American Jail Association Conference & Jail Expo in Omaha, Nebraska, May 20-24. In addition to hosting a booth, we were proud to sponsor six of the winners of the annual Awards Banquet. Learn more about this year’s winners below, and in our upcoming posts.
Fort Worth, Texas
Sergeant Albert “AJ” Mercado began his career with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office in July 2002 as a Detention Officer. In his 20-year corrections career, he has worked in nearly all Tarrant County Jail system areas; one of the largest jail systems in the nation. Prior to his promotion to Sergeant, Mercado served as the Field Training Manager and oversaw the training of all new Detention Officers and the annual training of more than 900 detention staff members.
In March 2019, Sergeant Mercado was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. During the time AJ was out, many officers in the department were inspired to rally support for him and his family through an “AJ Strong” campaign. The campaign was about more than raising money for the Mercado family; it represented an opportunity to show how one person could inspire a family of corrections staff to come together to support one another. Sergeant Mercado received the good news he was cancer-free and returned to work.
As the Field Training Manager, Sergeant Mercado witnessed the graduation of 28 new Field Training Officers in 2021, who then reciprocated and helped train 212 new officers in that same year. Sergeant Mercado is directly responsible for keeping a cadre of 50 active Detention Field Training Officers up to date on changes to policies and practices while also keeping them motivated to train new officers.
Mercado was promoted to Sergeant in May 2022 and immediately continued having a positive impact on his newly assigned shift and the department. Known for his resilience and professionalism as a Corporal, Mercado was welcomed to his new assignment.
He and his wife have two boys, ages 5 and 7.
Steven L. Elrod, CJM
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Steven Elrod was born in Blytheville, Arkansas, and has served with the Garland County Sheriff’s Office since 2011. He received his Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University, as well as three associate degrees from New Mexico State University.
In 2013, Steven was promoted to the rank of Corporal and graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation SWAT Training School. The subsequent year, he was assigned as the Transition Coordinator responsible for managing and coordinating the opening of the Garland County Detention Center. In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, assigned to serve on the agency’s Internal Affairs board, and became the first representative from Garland County to graduate from the National Jail Leadership Command Academy. In 2016, he assumed role as interim Captain, and was subsequently promoted to Chief Deputy. Since serving as Chief Deputy, Steven is a three-time recipient of the Administrator of the Year Award from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #26.
Receiving diverse training from renowned organizations, he is a graduate of the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy Class 2018-A where he was elected Class Leader, Class Speaker, received an academic achievement award, and rated an expert in firearms proficiency. He also is a graduate of the National Association of Counties – High Performance Leadership Academy, as well as a graduate of the Criminal Justice Institute School of Law Enforcement Supervision and Sheriff’s Administrator school. He holds both law enforcement certifications as well as jail certifications to include MILO Instructor, Police Professional Instructor, Tactical Weapons Instructor, and is a Certified Jail Manager through the American Jail Association. Steven actively serves as Sniper Team Leader for the agency’s Tactical Response Team.
