Kentucky Law Enforcement Honored for Impaired Driving Enforcement

Wednesday's ceremony saluted efforts to save lives on Kentucky roadways.

(Frankfort, Ky.) – More than 170 Kentucky state and local law enforcement officers were honored for extraordinary efforts to protect motorists from impaired drivers.

The Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Awards ceremony was held at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington and hosted by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety.

Those receiving awards represented more than 150 law enforcement agencies. Awards were presented to those with the most impaired-driving arrests in each agency and in each division from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.

Award recipients received a plaque, while the top division winner was presented with the Highway Safety All-Star Award – a commemorative baseball bat from Louisville Slugger. There are six divisions, broken down by number of officers within the agency, and a division for Kentucky State Police: 

• Division I         1-10 officers 
• Division II        11-25 officers  
• Division III       26-50 officers 
• Division IV       51-100 officers 
• Division V        100+ officers 
• Division VI Kentucky State Police  

 Local award winners include:

• Deputy Christopher Weires, Boone County Sheriff’s Office
• Officer James Dews, Carrollton Police Department
• Sergeant J. Buchanan, Edgewood Police Department
• Patrol Officer Jerod Lonaker, Erlanger Police Department
• Officer Haley Ransler, Florence Police Department

“Our law enforcement are the heroes who work to keep our families safe by ensuring impaired drivers are removed from our roadways,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Their efforts are saving lives, and we are grateful for their dedication to the commonwealth and our people.” 

The KOHS, Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement agencies are partnering for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement campaign. Officers will be out Dec. 13, 2023, through Jan. 1, 2024, watching for any moving hazardous violation, with an emphasis on impaired driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds the campaign and reports high-visibility enforcement reduces impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.