Law Enforcement Champions announced by CDOT and MADD

Traffic Safety Pulse News

At a ceremony on May 11, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Mothers Against Drunk Driving announced the winners of the 2022 Law Enforcement Champion awards for southern Colorado. These awards focus on efforts to reduce impaired driving, increase the use of seat belts and reduce speeding.

The Law Enforcement Champion award winners are:

  • Drug Recognition Expert of The Year, Front Range -- Police Sergeant Glenn Thomas, Colorado Springs Police Department (Colorado Springs)

  • Excellence in Leadership Award -- Police Commander John Koch, Colorado Springs Police Department (Colorado Springs)

  • Outstanding Dedication to Speed Enforcement -- Officer Kegan Mowery, Colorado Springs Police Department (Colorado Springs)

  • Outstanding Individual Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Front Range/Colorado State Patrol -- Trooper Clint Doren, Colorado State Patrol (Colorado Springs)

  • Outstanding Individual Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Front Range/Local Law Enforcement -- DUI Enforcement Officer Jessica Bates, Colorado Springs Police Department (Colorado Springs)

  • Outstanding Individual Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Mountain/Colorado State Patrol -- Corporal Michael Dieckmann, Colorado State Patrol (Florence)

  • Outstanding Team Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Front Range/Local Law Enforcement -- Colorado Springs Police DUI Unit (Colorado Springs)

  • Outstanding Team Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Rural/Colorado State Patrol -- Colorado State Patrol Troop 2D Pueblo Wed-Sat Team (Pueblo)

“We are ever grateful to the brave men and women in law enforcement who keep our roads and communities safe,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Highway Safety Office at CDOT. “At CDOT, we take a holistic approach to safety on our transportation system, which includes recognizing the role of public safety officials in keeping impaired drivers off our road, promoting seat belt use and enforcing speed limits.” 

A law enforcement champion is an individual that shows outstanding support for impaired driving, traffic safety or occupant protection enforcement. This can be demonstrated by the number of citations written or arrests made during the established enforcement periods throughout the year.  It can also be demonstrated by drug recognition expert activity, high visibility enforcement tactics and other related activities.

“So many people will never know the debt that they owe to our law enforcement heroes. Every time they stop a drunk or drugged driver, they potentially save a life,” said MADD Colorado State Executive Director Fran Lanzer. “We’re fortunate to have so many dedicated men and women protecting our communities.”

The awards were presented at an event on May 11 at Space Foundation Headquarters and Discovery Center. Sponsors of the event included the law firm Bachus & Schanker, Safeway, Brother, AAA Colorado, and the Colorado State Patrol Association.

Awards for Law Enforcement Champions in the Denver Metro Area will be presented June 1st in Westminster.

Approximately one-third of traffic fatalities involve an impaired driver in Colorado. In addition, most traffic fatalities involve an unbuckled driver or passenger. Seat belts save an estimated 225 lives in Colorado each year. An additional 70 lives could have been saved if everyone in Colorado buckled up.  The current seat belt use rate is 86%. 

CDOT provides funding to Colorado law enforcement for impaired driving and seat belt enforcement campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year with 15 specific high visibility impaired driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement. More details about impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com.

There are three high visibility seat belt enforcement periods that take place each year in Colorado. The next one begins May 16. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit SeatBeltsColorado.com.

Colorado State Patrol DUI Unit (7 people) receive their award in front of red MADD podium
Colorado State Patrol DUI Unit receives their award
CSP Troop 2D (7 people) in Pueblo receives their award in front of MADD podium at press conference
CSP Troop 2D in Pueblo receives their award