The article below from WBTV showcases the “6th Annual DUI Enforcement Recognition Ceremony” honoring those police officers throughout the State of South Carolina with the highest DUI “arrests” (not convictions) in 2010. While everyone certainly “applauds” getting truly “drunk drivers” off the road, this “ceremony” demonstrates the borderline obsession police agencies have with making DUI arrests, seemingly no matter what. And this was the 6th year celebrating the current public infatuation with DUI. In the seventies, marijuana possession and arrests were all the rage. In the eighties, it was cocaine. In the nineties, it was crack cocaine. Now, in our politically correct enviroment, no one is supposed to have a drink with dinner or a beer with a friend. Because of the clear financial incentive for police departments (federal grants) and personal incentives for individual officers (promotions), anyone stopped for a traffic violation who smells of alcohol is going to be arrested, handcuffed, and charged with DUI, no matter what they say or do at that point. If they attempt to perform field sobriety tests, they will invariably “fail” and be put in the back of the patrol car. If they exercise their 5th Amendment right to not incriminate themselves, they will be taken to jail. You get the idea here. Arrests are fairly easy. Convictions are a totally different matter. Better make sure your attorney understands the difference and will fight aggressively to win your case in court.
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COLUMBIA – Law enforcement officers and agencies were recognized Wednesday for their efforts in 2010 to enforce the state’s DUI laws and remove impaired drivers from South Carolina roadways.
The SC Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) presented awards to officers and agencies in several categories during its 6th Annual DUI Enforcement Recognition Ceremony. SC State Attorney General Alan Wilson was the keynote speaker.
During the ceremony, SCDPS Director Mark Keel praised the efforts of law enforcement officers statewide. “Highway Patrol, State Transport Police and our local law enforcement partner agencies do a fantastic job enforcing the traffic laws of our state. But when we all work together and combine our efforts, the good that we do is multiplied. It means more drunk drivers are off our roads and behind bars. It means more people are educated about the effects of DUI. Most importantly, it means more lives are saved. That should be applauded.”
Following is a complete list of winners:
Officer of the Year (five categories based on size of agency):
- 1-10 officers: Officer Bill Bruner, Chapin Police Department, 22 DUI arrests
- 11-25 officers: Officer Chris Kendall, Travelers Rest Police Department, 55 DUI arrests
- 26-50 officers: Officer Charles Carnes, Hanahan Police Department, 92 DUI arrests
- 51-100 officers: Officer Jason T. Pearce, North Augusta Department of Public Safety, 87 DUI arrests
- 101 or more officers: Deputy Jason Kramer, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, 135 DUI arrests
Rookie of the Year:
- Deputy Jacob Will, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, 7 DUI arrests
Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year:
- Lance Corporal Jeffery L. Fortner, Troop 3 (Post D, Spartanburg), 107 DUI arrests
Highway Patrol Troop of the Year:
- Troop 5 (Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg counties), 4,436 DUI arrests
State Transport Police District of the Year:
- District 3 (Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties)
South Carolina Law Enforcement Network Award:
- 15th Circuit Law Enforcement Network, (Georgetown and Horry counties)
Agency of the Year (five categories based on size of agency):
- 1-10 officers: Bonneau Police Department, 36 DUI arrests
- 11-25 officers: Travelers Rest Police Department, 125 DUI arrests
- 26-50 officers: Mauldin Police Department, 186 DUI arrests
- 51-100 officers: Aiken Department of Public Safety, 234 DUI arrests
- 101 or more officers: Mount Pleasant Police Department, 437 DUI arrests
In addition, the following nominated officers received DUI Hero pins in bronze, silver or gold to honor their DUI arrest accomplishments in 2010.
The Bronze category for 10 to 24 DUI arrests:
- Officer Matthew L. Bramlett, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Officer Aaron I. Dobbs, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Officer George Gymer, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Officer Benjamin Harm, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Officer Scott Richardson, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Officer Daymon L. Spann, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Lance Corporal George Rioux, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Sergeant Timothy Slupski, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Chief Franco Fuda Bonneau, Police Department
- Corporal Ryan Snyder, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Corporal Justin Carabetta, Cayce Department of Public Safety
- Officer Katie Bradacs, Cayce Department of Public Safety
- Officer Maria Green, Cayce Department of Public Safety
- Officer Bill Bruner, Chapin Police Department
- Sergeant Josh Bower, Chapin Police Department
- Officer Troy Frick, Chapin Police Department
- Officer Mark Robinson, Chapin Police Department
- Corporal Louis Staggers, Charleston Police Department
- Officer Melanie Donald, Charleston Police Department
- Officer Adam Thayer, Charleston Police Department
- Officer Matt Wojslawowicz, Charleston Police Department
- Deputy Nathan Walker, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Ronnie Painter, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Greg Taylor, Clemson Police Department
- Officer Jay Hogue, Clemson Police Department
- Officer Kevin Shaw, Clemson Police Department
- Sergeant Josh Caldwell, Clemson Police Department
- Officer Jeff Jordan, Conway Police Department
- Officer Jason Eden, Conway Police Department
- Officer Kendall Dixon, Conway Police Department
- Officer William Gaffey, Conway Police Department
- Sergeant Mike Cooke, Darlington City Police Department
- Officer Dan Romanyzyn, Darlington City Police Department
- Officer Javon Cauthen, Darlington City Police Department
- Officer Tiffany N. Britton, Hanahan Police Department
- Officer Frederick J. Durant, Hanahan Police Department
- Officer Chris McElman, Goose Creek Police Department
- Officer Thomas Lawson, Goose Creek Police Department
- Lieutenant Duane Rollings, Lancaster Police Department
- Sergeant Dale Johnson, Lancaster Police Department
- Officer Kenneth Warlick, Lancaster Police Department
- Officer Mike Lawler, Lexington Police Department
- Sergeant Sam Harrell, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer Richard Montalbano, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer Nicholas Andes, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer Daniel Turner, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer Nicolas Lebby, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Kirill Misyuchenko, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Mark Lamb, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Jason Brandon, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Jacqui Pastick, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer William Decker, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Matt Tyler, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Dan Eckert, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Andrew Harris, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Elliott Anderson, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Eric Postell, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Ryland Reed, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Troy Spivey, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Pete Schmidt, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Michael Petrizzo, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Nathan Howitt, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Wesley A. Youngblood, North Augusta Department of Public Safety
- Officer Robert Gooding, North Charleston Police Department
- Officer David King, North Myrtle Beach Dept. of Public Safety
- Officer Matthew Pasqurell, North Myrtle Beach Dept. of Public Safety
- Officer Kenneth Pifer, Orangeburg Department of Public Safety
- Officer Randall, Mullis Pageland Police Department
- Deputy Robert A. Porter, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Charles Sullivan II, Richland County Sheriff’s Department
- Deputy Joseph R. Davis, Richland County Sheriff’s Department
- Officer Ray Hamilton, Rock Hill Police Department
- Officer Gerald Wayne Maury, Rock Hill Police Department
- Officer Tim Allen, Rock Hill Police Department
- Officer Ryan Thomas, Rock Hill Police Department
- Sergeant Jim Grayson, Rock Hill Police Department
- First Sergeant James Bradley, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Ryan Braga, Summerville Police Department
- Officer Jacob Valentine, Summerville Police Department
- Officer Marc Bailey, Summerville Police Department
- Officer Shari Driggers, Summerville Police Department
- Officer Kenneth Driscoll, Summerville Police Department
- Officer Daniel Tuck, Summerville Police Department
- Corporal Chris King, Surfside Beach Police Department
- Officer David Trilety, Surfside Beach Police Department
- Officer David Turbeville, Surfside Beach Police Department
- Deputy Ryan King, York County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy John Riley, York County Sheriff’s Office
The Silver category for 25 to 49 DUI arrests:
- Corporal Chris K. Carter, Aiken Department of Public Safety
- Corporal Timothy Clarkson, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Corporal Adam Draisen, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Corporal J. Elrod, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Kyle Ryan, Charleston Police Department
- Deputy Brian Mullinax, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Justin Strickland, Conway Police Department
- Corporal Mike Intini, Dorchester Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Jared Skinner, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Gene Clark, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Jonathan Jackson, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Will Richter, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Matt Smith, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy John Phillips, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
- Corporal Jimmy D. Mathis, Hanahan Police Department
- Corporal Josh Small, Lancaster Police Department
- Sergeant Jeremy Souter, Lexington Police Department
- Officer Grady Johnson, Jr. Lexington Police Department
- Officer Adam Lawrence, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer A. J. Santos, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Jason Smoak, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Shon McCluskey, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Joe West, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Daniel Preciado, Myrtle Beach Police Department
- Officer Louis A. Cook, North Augusta Department of Public Safety
- Corporal Paul Wise, Orangeburg Department of Public Safety
- Sergeant Nathan Brucke, Pageland Police Department
- Deputy Ryan J. Galinski, Richland County Sheriff’s Department
- Deputy David Vaughn, York County Sheriff’s Office
The Gold category for 50 or more DUI arrests:
- Corporal Alexis Eliopoulos, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Travis Hovest, Anderson City Police Department
- Sergeant A. B. Ashe, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office
- Sergeant L. Mizell, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Josh Scott, Conway Police Department
- Officer Charles E. Carnes, Hanahan Police Department
- Lance Corporal Jack Johnson Jr., Horry County Police Department
- Officer David Terry, Mauldin Police Department
- Officer Joseph Zeitner, Mount Pleasant Police Department
- Officer Jason T. Pearce, North Augusta Department of Public Safety
- Officer Jonathan Lawrence, North Charleston Police Department
- Deputy James Donald Owens Jr., Richland County Sheriff’s Department
- Officer Jason Kramer, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
- Corporal Kevin Price, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Phillip Chappell, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
- Deputy Len Burgess, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
- Officer Patrick Lavery, Travelers Rest Police Department
- Officer Chris Kendall, Travelers Rest Police Department
- Senior Trooper R. D. Martin, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1 DUI Team
- Corporal G. D. Rothell, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1
- Trooper First Class A. L. Antley, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1
- Senior Trooper Ryan Harp, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1 DUI Team
- Corporal C. L. Herring, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1
- Lance Corporal W. O. Horton, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1 DUI Team
- Lance Corporal E. M. Koty, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1 DUI Team
- Senior Trooper J. T. Myers, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1
- Lance Corporal M. R. Danbeck, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 1
- Senior Trooper Benji W. Humphries, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 2
- Lance Corporal Shawn D. Brookshire, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 2
- Senior Trooper B. S. Bryson, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Lance Corporal J. B. Cannon, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Lance Corporal J. L. Fortner, SC Highway Patrol,Troop 3
- Senior Trooper F. W. Marlow, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Lance Corporal D. C. May, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Senior Trooper R. K. Owens, SC Highway Patrol Troop 3
- Senior Trooper D. A. Rieser, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Trooper First Class S. M. Williams, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 3
- Senior Trooper R. A. Frock, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4 DUI Team
- Lance Corporal J. L. McCloud, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4 DUI Team
- Lance Corporal M. J. Shank, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4
- Lance Corporal J. L. Godfrey, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4 DUI Team
- Corporal M. Z. Hassen, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4
- Lance Corporal J. W. Tate, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 4 DUI Team
- Senior Trooper C. D. Brigham, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5 DUI Team
- Trooper First Class C. A. Brown, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal D. A. Dean, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper R. E. Denham, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper M. D. Dwyer, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper A. B. Fox, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5 DUI Team
- Senior Trooper M. K. Frost, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal R. J. Gannon, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Trooper First Class M. L. Gosnell, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper C. E. Graham, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper W. A. Hardymon, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5 DUI Team
- Senior Trooper J. T. Hicks, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal P. H. Hunt, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper J. B. King, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper M. M. McCants, SC Highway, Patrol Troop 5
- Trooper W. A. McInville, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal B. P. Norris, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal L. N. Poston, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper R. M. Salter, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper D. J. Sarvis, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper J. T. Sarvis, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Senior Trooper J. M. Simmons, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Lance Corporal D. R. Weatherwalks, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Trooper First Class M. S. Webb, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 5
- Corporal James M. Brantley, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 6
- Senior Trooper William C. Fawcett, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 6
- Senior Trooper Nicolas J. Reeder, SC Highway Patrol, Troop 6
- Trooper First Class Courtney K. Towns, SC Highway, Patrol Troop 6
- Trooper Willie McCauley Jr., SC Highway Patrol, Troop 7