DUI Enforcement Awards ceremony held
The Office of Highway Safety joined forces with Attorney General Matt Denn, Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe, and the Mothers Against Drunk Driving national organization to recognize law enforcement officers across the state for their efforts related to impaired driving prevention, leadership and enforcement.
The awards ceremony was held at the Dover Downs Conference Center March 21. Jana Simpler, director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, welcomed law enforcement. She said, "Today is about recognizing and thanking each and every one of the law enforcement present for their efforts in impaired driving enforcement." Joining Simpler to present the awards to law enforcement was Jan Withers, MADD national president emerita.
Simpler said, "Together we achieved some pretty terrific accomplishments in 2016." The Office of Highway Safety provided overtime funding to law enforcement agencies across the state in 2016 for checkpoints and saturation patrols with a focus on impaired driving enforcement. These enforcement efforts contributed to a 10 percent reduction in impaired driving fatal crashes from 2015 to 2016. The office also supported impaired driving training initiatives for law enforcement in 2016.
They coordinated multijurisdictional statewide DUI checkpoints several times throughout the year as part of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. A total of 20 checkpoints were conducted between July and December 2016, resulting in 60 DUI arrests. More than 100 law enforcement officers were sworn in by Denn in July 2016 for multijurisdictional capabilities to participate in this campaign.
Officers who participated in the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign and drug recognition experts were recognized at the ceremony. A DRE is a police officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police coordinates the International Drug Evaluation and Classification Program. Delaware currently has 23 DREs that support law enforcement evaluation needs statewide.
Excellence in Impaired Driving Prevention, Enforcement and Leadership Awards went to local individuals Patrolman Nick Disciullo, Milton Police Department, and Sgt. Sidney Ballentine, Ocean View Police Department.
For more information on the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and to stay up to date on news and announcements, follow OHS on Twitter – @DEHighwaySafe or go to www.ohs.delaware.gov and http://www.arrivealivede.com/.
