The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) has honored more than 200 law enforcement officers from 175 agencies across the Commonwealth for their efforts to target impaired drivers, including several local officers.
The 2018 Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Awards ceremony was held Dec. 12 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Lexington. Awards were presented to officers with the most impaired-driving arrests in each agency and Highway Safety All-Star awards were presented to the top three in each division.
“Today is more than just receiving an award,” said KOHS Acting Director Jason Siwula. “It is about saving lives and that is what each of you do every time you arrest an impaired driver.”
Kentucky State Police Trooper Steve Walker of Post 11 in London recorded the most DUI arrests
of any KSP officer or Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife officer.
Other area officers receiving the awards for the most DUI arrests by their department include: Corbin Police Department Patrolman Justin Walker, Williamsburg Police Officer Cody Jeffries, Barbourville Police Department Patrolman Adam Townsley, Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Jake Miller, London Police Department Patrolman Brian P. Nunley, KSP Trooper Sammy Faris of Post 10 in Harlan, and KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Region Four Senior Officer Erik Stallsworth.
According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, last year in Kentucky, there were 5,350 crashes related to impaired driving, resulting in 2,781 injuries and 154 fatalities.
“One fatality is one too many,” said Siwula. “We will continue to support law enforcement efforts to remove impaired drivers from our roads, including providing federal funds for additional enforcement during this holiday season.”
The KOHS, Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement agencies are partnering for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement campaign. Officers will be out through Jan. 1, 2019 watching for any moving hazardous violation, with an emphasis on impaired driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds the campaign and states high-visibility enforcement reduces impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
