SYKESVILLE, Md. (AP) — A team of officers from the Maryland Correctional Institution in Jessup has won an annual honor guard competition.

They beat teams from 12 other state correctional institutions Wednesday in Sykesville. That makes the Jessup team the official honor guard for the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in 2012.

Judges for the contest were Public Safety Secretary Gary Maynard, two of his deputies and the executive director of the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions.

They looked for the sharpest team to serve as escorts and flag-bearers at formal departmental ceremonies and the funerals of fallen comrades statewide.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)