More than 100 Kentucky state and local law enforcement officers from 91 agencies were honored recently for extraordinary efforts to protect drivers and their passengers.
The took place at the Governor’s Occupant Protection Enforcement Awards in Lexington.
“Our law enforcement are the heroes who work to keep our families safe by ensuring everyone is buckling up and using correct car seats and boosters for children,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Their efforts are saving lives and I am grateful as Governor, and as a dad, for their dedication to our commonwealth and our people.”
Awards were presented by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) to those with the most occupant protection citations in each agency and in each division from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. Award recipients received a plaque, while the top division winners were 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
In addition to the individual and divisional awards, KYTC Secretary Jim Gray presented the Highway Safety Enforcement Award of Excellence to the family of Scott County Deputy Caleb Conley. Deputies from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office were present to accept the award on the family’s behalf. Deputy Conley was shot and killed on May 22 while making a routine traffic stop while working overtime on a highway safety grant.
Conley was the past recipient of the Impaired Driving Enforcement award and is this year’s recipient of the Occupant Protection Enforcement Award for the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers addressed the attendees and praised their efforts to save lives in their communities.
“Writing citations is not a strategy designed to increase arrests; in fact, it may result in decreased citation counts over time, which is our goal,” said Chief Weathers. “However, there is no question that we would rather write a seat belt or car restraint citation than make a death notification.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts, when worn correctly, are proven to reduce the risk of fatal injuries to front-seat occupants by 45 percent and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans. Also, according to NHTSA, properly installed child restraints reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars. In light trucks, SUVs and minivans, properly deployed child restraints reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 58 percent for infants and 59 percent for toddlers.
Each year more than half of those killed on Kentucky’s roadways are not properly restrained in a seat belt, car seat, or booster seat. Kentucky’s current seat belt usage rate is 86.9%.
Awards were presented to the following:
INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS/Northern Kentucky
• Sergeant Nathan Nogueras Alexandria Police Department
• Deputy Daniel Tracy Boone County Sheriff’s Department
• Sergeant Donald H. Dornheggen II Campbell County Police Department
• Officer Andrew Jones Cincinnati NKY Airport Police Department
• Officer Scott Hildebrand Cold Spring Police Department
• Specialist Doug Ullrich Covington Police Department
• Officer Tyler Creech Edgewood Police Department
• Officer Robert Martin Erlanger Police Department
• Officer Michael Stanaland Florence Police Department
• Officer Jeremy Moore Fort Thomas Police Department
• Patrolman Taylor Bellau Fort Wright Police Department
• Caleb Dicken, KSP Post 06
• Patrolman Christopher Steward, Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills Police Department
• Lieutenant Daniel A. Delaney Newport Police Department
• Rick Grigson Park Hills Police Department
• Officer Billy G. Roberts Taylor Mill Police Department
• Officer Thomas Bradford, Villa Hills Police Department
• Sergeant Jacob T. Zink Wilder Police Department
• Sergeant Cody Blevins Williamstown Police Department
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet