The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Officers honored for DWI enforcement
What happened: Oneida City cop receives Karl Taylor award, officers recognized for service
Every 53 minutes in the United States someone dies from a drunk driving accident, said Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, who was the guest speaker at the 25th annual Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheon.
On Wednesday, members of local law enforcement gathered to congratulate police officers who were being honored for keeping Madison County roadways safe by working to lessen the number of DWI and driving while impaired by drugs incidents.
Award recipients were selected based on police chief recommendations as well as statistical data culled from the district attorney’s office.
During 2012, 82 law enforcement officers in Madison County arrested 258 individuals for driving while intoxicated.
On Wednesday, 19 officers were recognized at the luncheon, whose combined arrests accounted for 117 of the 258 arrests in 2012.
Of those being honored at the event, one officer received the Karl Taylor Award, Steven Lowell of the Oneida Police Department. The award is given in memory of Karl Taylor, a former Madison County Sheriff’s Deputy who was committed to keeping communities and roads safe. During his 21year career with the sheriff’s department, he made over 950 DWI arrests, Goodfriend said.
“It was a surprise,” he said, “I didn’t know I was getting it.”
Lowell, 26, has been with the Oneida Police Department since 2009, and made about 16 DWI arrests in 2012, he said.
“It’s nice to be recognized,” Lowell said, “A lot of work goes into DWI arrests.”
Madison County STOP DWI Coordinator Steve Goodfriend said that besides the arrests, Lowell also developed the Oneida Police Department Intern Program, which allows local youth to learn about law enforcement.
“This annual luncheon and recognition day expresses our appreciation and encouragement to these officers for the hard work they do in keeping our roads safe; and to remind the public that driving drunk or impaired is a crime that always has the very real potential of hurting others or one’s self.”
Officers recognized for their work include: Joseph Leworthy, Canastota Police Department; Karen Zaleski, Richard Bennett, Christopher Manion, Stephen White and George Millet, Cazenovia Police Department; Robert J. Marshall, Daniel S. Furner and Paul Donahue, Chittenango Police Department; Jeffery Worthley and Michael Mordus Jr., Hamilton Police Department; Steve Sellin- a former Karl Taylor award recipient and Matthew White, Madison County Sheriff’s Department; Mark Buzzard, Miles Robertson, Terry Horton, New York State Police Troop D; David Wilber of the New York State police at Morrisville; and Steven Lowell and William Clark of the Oneida Police Department.