DUI Top Cop, other officers honored at Casper impaired driving enforcement awards ceremony

Editors: Besides honoring DUI Top Cop Lt. Jared Frakes of Rawlins, Officer Casey Tadewald of the Lander Police Department was among Tuesday's MADD HERO Law Enforcement and Community Recognition Pin Recipients.

Representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving (GCID) announced the winner of the Governor's Inaugural DUI Top Cop Award Tuesday at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Casper.

Impaired driving is a significant issue in Wyoming, where more than 50 people die every year from alcohol-involved crashes and the average blood-alcohol content (BAC) of people arrested for a DUI is almost double the legal limit.

As part of the awards event, Governor Mark Gordon shared this observation with the audience, “Driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs is a serious crime that can impact families and our communities. Not only does it endanger drivers and others on the road, but it also puts a strain on community resources and the legal system. DUIs are preventable, and I am proud of our law enforcement professionals who take on the charge of keeping our roads and communities safe and who recognize the signs of someone driving impaired.”

These awards focus on recognizing law enforcement professionals who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to reducing impaired driving throughout the state of Wyoming. Awards were presented to the “DUI Top Cop,” Lt. Jared Frakes of the Rawlins Police Department, and 18 outstanding traffic safety professionals from the Wyoming Highway Patrol and sheriff’s offices in Laramie County, Lincoln County, Teton County, Sublette County, Park County, as well as police departments in Cheyenne, Evanston, Rawlins, and Lander.

Three civilians were also recognized: Ashley Schluck, Wyoming Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor; Sara King, Alternatives to Incarceration Coordinator at the Teton County Sheriff’s Office; and Stephanie Lucero, WYDOT Senior Grants Manager.

A full list of law enforcement award recipients follows:

Governor's Inaugural DUI Top Cop Award Recipient: Lt. Jared Frakes, Rawlins Police Department
 
MADD HERO Law Enforcement and Community Recognition Pin Recipients:
-- Officer Sean Cigich, Cheyenne Police Department
-- Sgt. Kenny West, Evanston Police Department
-- Sgt. Justin George, Evanston Police Department
-- Officer Casey Tadewald, Lander Police Department
-- Sgt. George Martinez, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
-- Deputy Griffon Budde, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
-- Deputy Jonathan Bartlett, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
-- Sgt. George Martinez, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
-- Deputy Trey Andrews, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office
-- Deputy Christopher Aldrete, Park County Sheriff’s Office
-- Officer Colton Halacy, Rawlins Police Department
-- Sgt. George Phillips, Rawlins Police Department
-- Sgt. Shawn Streeter, Sublette County Sheriff’s Office
-- Deputy Michael Fielding, Teton County Sheriff’s Office
-- Trooper Kyleigh Price, Wyoming Highway Patrol
-- Trooper Caleb Pushcar, Wyoming Highway Patrol
-- Sgt. Chancey Duncan, Wyoming Highway Patrol
-- Sgt. Mark Kittelson, Wyoming Highway Patrol.