MADD South Georgia Chapter Hosts 10th Annual Recognition Banquet
On Friday, February 23rd, the South Georgia Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) honored law enforcement across the region for their dedication to creating a future of No More Victims®.
This year was the event’s 10th year of recognizing law enforcement, MADD volunteers, and other community partners for their efforts to put an end to drunk and drugged driving.
The banquet honored multiple law enforcement agencies for their efforts in making DUI arrests and to honor their work to keep the roadways safe. Victim Impact Panel speakers, judges, and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions in South Georgia were also in attendance. The MADD South Georgia Chapter gave 118 law enforcement awards at the event.
Roger Hayes, Law Enforcement Services Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), served as the Master of Ceremonies.
Harris Blackwood, the Director of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) stated, “Tonight is a night to say thank you to law enforcement officers and community leaders from all over South Georgia for the great work they’ve done in making our roads safer.”
Kali Robinson, MADD Georgia Program Specialist under the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, presented Challenge Coins to all law enforcement officers in attendance. Challenge Coins are coveted across law enforcement and MADD designed its own Challenge Coin to be given as a recognition and thank you item to our outstanding partners in the law enforcement community.
Presentation of the Challenge Coins was made possible by our statewide Law Enforcement Recognition Sponsor, Brian “Buck” Rogers, who is also a member of MADD Georgia’s Statewide Advisory Council.
Sgt. Russ Covington, Georgia State Patrol Post 12, and Lt. Daniel Lindsay of the Moultrie Police Department offered remarks during the program. MADD’s partnership with law enforcement is a key component of its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
Below are some of the honorees of the MADD South Georgia 10th Annual Recognition Banquet:
Law Enforcement Officers of the Year
TFC Christopher Jewell, Georgia State Patrol Nighthawks Middle Georgia
Deputy Jace Norman, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office
DUI Heroes
Gary Roy, Tallahassee Police Department
Jim Shingler, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Law enforcement from the following agencies were recognized at the event:
Ashburn Police Department
Byron Police Department
Centerville Police Department
Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office
Cook County Sheriff’s Office
Crisp County Sheriff’s Office
Doerun Police Department
Douglas Police Department
Georgia State Patrol Nighthawks Middle Georgia
Georgia State Patrol Post 10 – Americus
Georgia State Patrol Post 12 – Thomasville
Georgia State Patrol Post 13 – Tifton
Georgia State Patrol Post 15 – Perry
Georgia State Patrol Post 30 – Cordele
Georgia State Patrol Post 31 – Valdosta
Georgia State Patrol Post 36 – Douglas
Georgia State Patrol Post 39 – Cuthbert
Georgia State Patrol Post 40 – Albany
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Houston County Sheriff’s Office
Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office
Moultrie Police Department
Norman Park Police Department
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Tallahassee Police Department
Thomasville Police Department
Tift County Sheriff’s Office
Tifton Police Department
Valdosta Police Department
Our gratitude goes out to Gary Robinson, Community Action Site Leader, and Shannon Bell, Assistant Community Action Site Leader, of the MADD South Georgia Chapter for their leadership and coordination of the event. MADD Georgia also thanks the talented team of MADD South Georgia volunteers for their efforts to recognize law enforcement and for their work to promote MADD’s mission to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.