FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Monique Bond
September 21, 2011
Chief Communications
Officer
www.isp.state.il.us
1-312-907-4601
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Honor
Illinois State Police at Heroes Banquet
Officers Accept Award and Re-Affirm Agency's Commitment to MADD's Campaign
to Eliminate Drunk Driving
Springfield, IL – Illinois State Police's top DUI enforcers were honored
Saturday, September 17, during the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Heroes Banquet hosted at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Six ISP
Troopers were nominated for the distinguished award to curtail drunk
driving through outstanding enforcement efforts.
ISP Troopers Daniel Erickson and Marvin Wagle, District 7, Trooper Marc
Baker, District 14, Trooper Jason Czub, District 15, Trooper Jeffrey
Nichols, District 17, and Trooper Mark Nelson, District 22, were recognized
for their significant contributions to public safety.
The Troopers made notable efforts in the prevention of underage drinking
and drunk driving within their home geographic areas. Several of the
Troopers were recognized as being accountable for a large percentage of
their district's total DUI enforcement numbers. Troopers Daniel Erickson
and Marvin Wagle made a combined 237 DUI arrests in 2010, accounting for
49.58% of District 7's DUI arrests, while Trooper Jeffrey Nichols made 84
DUI arrests, accounting for 35.8% of District 17's total.
"There is no greater satisfaction as a police officer than to realize your
accomplishments are making a difference in the community you serve," said
Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau. "These officers have
demonstrated their commitment to improve safety on Illinois roadways and
have no doubt saved thousands of lives," he added.
ISP Troopers collaborate with local law enforcement and work closely with
state attorney's offices and victim's advocate representatives to improve
public safety.
Listed below is a synopsis of the each Trooper's accomplishment:
Trooper Daniel Erickson, District 7 (East Moline)
Trooper Marvin Wagle, District 7 (East Moline)
Over the past 20 years, District 7 normally experienced approximately
30 fatal crashes each year. The number was drastically reduced to 14
in 2009 and continued into 2010 when Trooper Erickson arrested 121
drivers for DUI and Trooper Wagle arrested 116 drivers. The two
officers accounted for 49.58% of the total number of DUI arrests made
by all District 7 officers. The officers also reached another
milestone achievement by placing 1st and 2nd in the total number of
DUI citations issued by all ISP officers during 2010. Trooper
Erickson is a nine-year veteran of the ISP. Trooper Wagle joined the
ISP in 2008.
Trooper Marc Baker, District 14 (Macomb)
Trooper Baker was recognized for his outstanding performance in DUI
countermeasures. Over the last five years, Trooper Baker made 225
arrests for DUI and has led District 14 in DUI arrests over the past
three years. He is a field sobriety test instructor, mentors other
officers on DUI arrest procedures, and frequently organizes and
implements details with other officers targeting problem areas.
Trooper Baker's efforts to prevent underage drinking during the past
year included alcohol related arrests for 38 other related violations
such as Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by Minors and Illegal
Transportation of Alcohol. Trooper Baker joined the Illinois State
Police in 2007.
Trooper Jason Czub, District 15 (Downers Grove)
Trooper Czub has been District 15's top DUI enforcer for the last two
years and is a 4 ½ year veteran of the ISP. While assigned to
District 15's midnight shift on the North Tri-State Tollway since
2009, he has promoted public safety through his rigorous DUI
enforcement efforts. He was recognized as District 15's top DUI
writer in 2010 making 117 arrests. He is extremely self-motivated
and consistently promotes public safety on the Illinois Tollway by
enforcing DUI laws.
Trooper Jeffrey Nichols, District 17 (LaSalle)
Trooper Nichols is extremely proactive in the fight against drunk
driving. He consistently patrols the primary and secondary routes in
a diligent effort to remove impaired drivers from the roadways. He
monitors large public gatherings and provides a positive police
presence in that area to minimize the potential for impaired driving.
Trooper Nichols is a dedicated police officer whose efforts are
unwavering. He was District 17's top officer with 84 of the 234 DUI
arrests (35.8%) made in 2010. With only four years on the job, he
consistently is in the district's top five for activity.
Trooper Mark Nelson, District 22 (Ullin)
Trooper Nelson has shown outstanding DUI enforcement efforts by
handling 24 non-crash related DUI arrests in rural areas of Southern
Illinois. He is a veteran officer with more than 10 years patrol
experience and has shown dedication to MADD's philosophy toward
public safety by increasing awareness through rigorous DUI
enforcement.
Consideration for this recognition was given to officers or individuals who
demonstrated outstanding service in support of MADD's mission, including
outstanding enforcement efforts, efforts to eliminate drunk driving, and
efforts to prevent underage drinking. Mother's Against Drunk Driving
honors police officers, state's attorneys, judges, and victim witness
coordinators every year for their support of MADD's mission - the Campaign
to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
'These Troopers are leaders within their Districts and are raising the bar
every day to driving zero fatalities to a reality," said Colonel Rob Haley.
"Their service and dedication should remind all of us that their
accomplishments are ultimately the Department's accomplishments, and we are
making a difference in saving lives," he added.
The banquet was held to recognize officers and individuals who have made
safe roads a number one priority by supporting the Campaign to Eliminate
Drunk Driving in Illinois. Their combined efforts have contributed to the
prevention of serious personal injury and fatal crashes within the
communities they serve. For more than 20 years, Mothers Against Drunk
Driving has supported the victims of impaired drivers. To date, MADD's work
has saved nearly 300,000 lives…and counting.
One Fatality is One too many and ISP is Committed to Driving Zero
Fatalities to a Reality
(See attached file: MADD Honors ISP final release.doc)
