MADD Honors Law Enforcement Officers for Outstanding Patrol Work
24 November 1998
MADD Honors Law Enforcement Officers for Outstanding Patrol Work LANSING, Mich., Nov. 23 -- On the road and in their
communities, these law enforcement officers have proven their commitment to
ending drunk driving.
That's why they've been selected by the state organization of Mothers
Against Drunk Driving as the 1998 MADD Life Saver Award recipients.
The anti-drunk driving advocacy group announced the 1998 Life Saver Award
recipients today at a special Life Saver's recognition ceremony in
East Lansing.
Each year MADD selects nine road patrol officers for their outstanding
work in combating drunk driving, three officers from each area of law
enforcement -- sheriff, municipal and public safety, and state police. This
year a tenth officer was presented a special Life Saver Achievement Award for
a distinguished comprehensive approach to ending drunk driving.
The annual awards program is conducted by MADD, beginning by seeking
nominations from every law enforcement agency in the state.
The award selection is based on the criteria of: the officer's community
outreach such as public speaking to schools, youth groups or other related
activities; the number of drunk driving arrests; the service area's population
base; and agency size.
"MADD knows that a key part in deterring the intoxicated from getting
behind the wheel is their fear of being apprehended and arrested. Not only
are these officers outstanding in enforcement and getting the impaired drivers
off the road, but the reputation of the work will cause other potential
impaired drivers to reconsider and not make the same mistake as the
1,148 drunk drivers arrested by this group of dedicated road patrol officers,"
said Kenneth La Salle, Ph.D., executive director, MADD, Michigan.
In a typical year statewide in Michigan, around 60,000 total
alcohol-impaired driving arrests will be made (60,665 in 1997, Michigan Annual
Drunk Driving Audit).
"The truth of the matter is, the numbers are just a small part of the
picture," said Betty Mercer, division director, Office of Highway Safety
Planning (OHSP), during her ceremony keynote address.
"The true picture is a huge landscape, one that includes the people who
are killed and injured in traffic crashes and the many, many others whose
lives are changed forever as well," said the top official for the state's
leading traffic safety programming agency.
The division director also announced that for the first time, OHSP will
provide funding for the 1998 MADD Life Savers to attend the 1999 Life Savers
National Conference in Seattle, a nationwide gathering of leading traffic
safety experts and advocates.
The 1998 MADD, Michigan Life Saver Award recipients are: Patrolman Roy
Brummel, Allegan City Police Department; Deputy Abe Devol, Kalkaska County
Sheriff's Department; Corporal Brian Ferris, Wayne County Sheriff's
Department; Trooper Warren Hardy, Michigan State Police, Adrian Post; Officer
Scott Hayes, Southgate Police Department; Deputy Steven Hinkley, Calhoun
County Sheriff's Department; Trooper Jody Huggins, Michigan State Police,
Richmond Post; Trooper Jory Huggins, Michigan State Police, Metro North Post,
Oak Park; Officer Jeffry Martel, Memphis Police Department; and special
recognition, the Michigan Life Saver Achievement Award, for Sergeant Mark Bos,
Holland Police Department.
The award recipients were commended by top law enforcement officials
representing the state's three areas of law enforcement: Sheriff Gene
Wriggelsworth, Ingham County, president, Michigan Sheriffs' Association;
Captain Stephen Madden, Commanding Officer, Special Operations Division,
Michigan State Police; Chief Michael Madden, St. Johns Police Department,
chairman, Traffic Safety Committee and board member, Michigan Association of
Chiefs of Police. Penny Fleischmann, president, MADD, Midland County chapter
was ceremony moderator.
The awards ceremony was part of the opening day activities for the
thirteenth annual MADD Red Ribbon "Tie One On For Safety" holiday safe and
sober driving public awareness campaign kickoff (November 23, 1998 -
January 1, 1999).
The day-long event included an opening ceremony at the Capitol with
Michigan Governor John Engler, followed by a ceremonial ribbon tying and a
motorcade down Michigan Ave. with law enforcement and emergency response
vehicles and MADD supporters.
In 1997 in Michigan 544 people died in alcohol-involved traffic crashes
(of the total 1,446 traffic fatalities), with another 13,461 injured in
alcohol-involved collisions.
MADD's mission is to stop drunk driving and support victims of this
violent crime.
