{"id":223,"date":"2017-08-14T17:42:26","date_gmt":"2017-08-14T17:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madd.org\/colorado\/?p=223"},"modified":"2022-05-24T10:06:23","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T10:06:23","slug":"madd-colorado-honors-law-enforcement-heroes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madd.org\/colorado\/madd-colorado-honors-law-enforcement-heroes\/","title":{"rendered":"MADD Colorado Honors Law Enforcement Heroes"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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DENVER (June 2, 2017) \u2013 On Wednesday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Colorado presented awards to 21 outstanding individuals and agencies who are making a difference in the community during its annual Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner and Awards Ceremony.<\/p>\n

MADD Colorado honored Corporal Dan Swint of the Denver Police Department as the Col. Mark V. Trostel Officer of the Year. During his distinguished career, Corporal Swint served 26 years with the Denver Police Department. In 2015, Corporal Swint\u2019s career was cut short when his patrol car was struck by a drunk driver while he was arresting another drunk driver on I-25. Corporal Swint\u2019s injuries ultimately forced his retirement. Over the course of his career, he made 3,000 DUI arrests saving countless lives on Colorado roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many people will never know the debt that they owe to Corporal Swint. Every time he stopped a drunk or drugged driver, he potentially saved a life,\u201d said MADD Colorado State Executive Director Fran Lanzer. \u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to have so many dedicated men and women protecting our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Left to Right: MC Heidi Hemmat, MADD Colorado Executive Director Fran Lanzer, Col. Mark Trostel of the Colorado State Patrol (Retired), Denver PD Cpl. Dan Swint, Denver PD Sgt. Al Louden<\/h6>\n

\u201cIn 2017 impaired driving crashes have affected thousands of Coloradans\u201d, said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. \u201cThrough continued partnerships and dedicated officers, we will continue to strive towards the goal of eliminating impaired driving.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to honoring law enforcement, MADD Colorado also recognized six state legislators as 2017 Legislative Champions. During the 2017 session of the General Assembly, these legislators led efforts to strengthen the felony DUI law, protect the rights of victims impacted by drunk and drugged driving, and improve the state\u2019s DUI data collection and reporting.<\/p>\n

The awards dinner was presented by the law firm of Bachus & Schanker<\/a>, MADD Colorado\u2019s 2017 Statewide Sponsor, with additional support from Uber Colorado and Laser Technology Incorporated.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a part of this event is very important to our firm,\u201d said Kyle Bachus, founding partner of Bachus & Schanker. \u201cWe are grateful for Colorado law enforcement and their dedication to the safety of our community.  It is a true privilege to recognize these men and women for their selfless dedication.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re proud to work alongside MADD and local law enforcement to keep Colorado’s roads safe. We know that when people have access to more affordable, reliable transportation options they overwhelmingly make the smart choice not to drink and drive. The great thing about a service like Uber is that a safe ride home is just the push of a button away,\u201d said Dave Britton, General Manager of Uber Colorado. “When more people make responsible decisions \u2013 especially during summer holiday weekends when drunk driving incidents spike \u2013 we can and will save lives.”<\/p>\n

Carol Adler gave the evening\u2019s keynote address. Her son, Trooper Taylor Thyfault, was killed in the line of duty by a drug-impaired driver in 2015.<\/p>\n

Heidi Hemmat also served as the emcee for this year\u2019s dinner. In 2015, Heidi won a MADD National Media Award and an Emmy for her in-depth research and nine months of preparation on a story that shined a light on repeat DUI offenders in Colorado, and also highlighted the need for a Felony DUI law in Colorado.<\/p>\n

Our photographer for the evening, Rebecca Ann Walsh Photography, will be putting up a gallery of photos from the event that you are welcome to view and download at the following link: https:\/\/RebeccaAnnWalshPhotography.shootproof.com\/MADD<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thank you to everyone who joined us to honor the heroes who keep us safe!<\/p>\n

2017 MADD Colorado Law Enforcement Recognition Award Winners<\/strong><\/p>\n

-Col. Mark V. Trostel Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award: Corporal Dan Swint, Denver Police Department
\n-Dr. Robert E. Weltzer Outstanding Dedication to Traffic Safety: Christine Flavia, Colorado Office of Behavioral Health
\n-MADD Hero Award: Trooper Aaron Robertus, Colorado State Patrol Troop 3C
\n-Outstanding Dedication to Investigating Impaired Driving Crashes: Detective Sergeant Christine Brite and Corporal Brian Cogil, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Officer James Deyoe, Palmer Lake Police Department
\n-Outstanding Dedication to Occupant Protection: Master Trooper Jim Casebolt, Colorado State Patrol Troop 2C Lamar
\n-Outstanding Dedication to Probation: Probation Officer Debbie Buckmaster, 18th Judicial Department
\n-Outstanding Dedication to School Outreach: Trooper Evan Hilling, Colorado State Patrol Troop 5C
\n-Outstanding Dedication to Underage Drinking Prevention: Chief Cory Christensen, Steamboat Springs Police Department
\n-Outstanding Drug Recognition Expert: Corporal Roger Meyers, Colorado State Patrol Troop 1E
\n-Outstanding Individual Dedication To Impaired Driving Enforcement: DUI Officer Addison Morgan and DUI Officer Michelle Nethercot, Colorado Springs Police Department; DUI Officer Rolando Gomez, Aurora Police Department; Trooper Christian Bollen, Colorado State Patrol Troop 4A
\n-Outstanding Judge: Magistrate Matthew Zehe, Larimer County Court, Division 1A
\n-Outstanding Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Chandler Grant, 1st Judicial District Attorney’s Office
\n-Outstanding Team Dedication to Impaired Driving Enforcement: Sgt. Michael Carr’s Team, Colorado State Patrol Troop 3D; Aurora Police DUI Team, Aurora Police Department; Edgewater PD DUI Team, Edgewater Police Department
\n-Outstanding Victim Advocate: Senior Victim-Witness Specialist Melissa Secrease, 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office<\/p>\n

2017 MADD Colorado Legislative Champions<\/strong><\/p>\n