DUI Enforcement Awards Troop 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3, 2007

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-600-8119



COLUMBIA – Several Pee Dee area law enforcement agencies were among those honored today by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and MADD South Carolina for their efforts in 2006 to keep impaired drivers off the roadways.



About 300 law enforcement officials, elected representatives and victims gathered in Columbia for the 2nd annual DUI Enforcement Recognition Ceremony. Solicitor Gregory Hembree, president of the S.C. Solicitors’ Association, delivered the keynote address.




Awards were presented to law enforcement officers from around the state. The Darlington and Myrtle Beach police departments won awards for making the most DUI arrests in their size categories. Myrtle Beach also had an individual award recipient.



Awards presented to agencies in the Pee Dee area are:



The Darlington Police Department, led by Chief Jerry Cox, was honored with an Agency DUI HERO Award for local law enforcement agencies with up to 25 officers. Darlington Police Department made 58 DUI arrests.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department, led by Chief Warren Gall, received an Agency DUI HERO award for local law enforcement agencies with up to 250 officers. Myrtle Beach Police Department had 189 DUI arrests.
Patrolman 1st Class Shon McClusky, of the Myrtle Beach Police Department, received an Officer DUI HERO Award. He made 41 DUI arrests last year. This was the second year that McClusky received a DUI HERO award.


In addition to the law enforcement awards, MADD recognized several volunteer Community Action Site Leaders, including:



Donna Carter, of Darlington
Alice Wright, of Florence
Vikki Miller, of Georgetown
Melissa Boyd, of Horry
Shawn Boyd, of Horry


A complete list of law enforcement winners follows:



Agency DUI HERO Awards (Several awards based on agency size) Eastover Police Department, Chief Timothy Ford Darlington Police Department, Chief Jerry Cox Newberry Police Department, Chief Jackie Swindler Goose Creek Police Department, Chief Harvey Becker Myrtle Beach Police Department, Chief Warren Gall Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Chuck Wright


Officer DUI HERO Awards (Several awards based on agency size) Cpl. David Kopenhaver, Ridgeland Police Department Sgt. Jeremy Sooter, Lexington Police Department Deputy Charlie Musselwhite, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Patrolman 1st Class Shon McClusky, Myrtle Beach Police Department Deputy Jason Kramer, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office


Trooper DUI HERO Award – Lance Corporal Stephen D. Poole, Troop 4 (Cherokee, Union, York, Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster and Chesterfield counties) S.C. Highway Patrol Troop of the Year – Troop 4 The S.C. State Transport Police Award of Excellence – District 6 (Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Berkeley, Jasper and Beaufort counties); also recognized were L/Cpls. Anthony Roberts, James Eagleson, Robert Cooper, Thomas Sullivan and Vernon Bryan; S/Off. Christopher McKellar and Offs. Brian Mitchell and John Dorroh Judicial Circuit of the Year – 7th Judicial Circuit, Solicitor Trey Gowdy (Spartanburg and Cherokee counties) Prosecutor of the Year – Barry Barnette, 7th Judicial Circuit S.C. Law Enforcement Network of the Year – 14th Circuit, Coordinator Cpl. David Kopenhaver, Ridgeland Police Department Agency of the Year – Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Chuck Wright Rookie of the Year – Patrolman Jacob Schwenk, Isle of Palms Police Department Officer of the Year – Deputy Jason Kramer, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office