DWI luncheon salutes officers
WAMPSVILLE — On Wednesday, area law enforcement officers were celebrated for their 2008 DWI arrests at the 21st Annual STOP DWI luncheon at New Beginnings Church.
A number of officers from several local agencies received plaques for the amount of DWI arrests they made in their respective jurisdictions. George Cameron, a State Trooper who works out of the Sullivan Field Office, won the prestigious Karl Taylor award for his 38 DWI arrests in 2008, the most for one officer in Madison County.
“It’s an honor,” Cameron said of receiving the award named for a Madison County Deputy Sheriff who was responsible for making 950 DWI arrests during his 21 year career. Taylor passed away in March 2000 and since that year, the award has been given out to honor his legacy.
Cameron is a first-time winner of the award. In a year’s time, Cameron said that he made 28 arrests in Madison County and 10 others in Oneida and Onondaga Counties. He has been on the force for four years and thinks that holding the luncheon is a good idea.
“I think it’s important, if nothing else, to just remind us why we’re out there, making DWI arrests and the importance of it,” Cameron said.
A number of important people in the community also came out for the event, including Board of Supervisors member Paul Miller, Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Telecommunications Committee Chair Darrin Ball, Madison County Court Judge Dennis McDermott, Susan Jenkins of BRiDGES/MCCASA and James Yonai of Madison County Mental Health Department.
Madison County District Attorney Bill Gabor spoke at the event, recalling his stint as a STOP DWI prosecutor in Madison County from 1985 to 1989. He noted that there were 383 DWI arrests and no fatal DWI accidents in Madison County last year, the latter of which he called a “tremendous statistic.”
“It’s an unbelievable job that you do,” he told those in attendance.
The keynote speaker was retired Madison County STOP DWI Coordinator Doug Lippert, who reflected on his experience with the program, as well as his past career as a State Trooper and the DWI arrests he made at that time.
“DWI is definitely not an enjoyable arrest to make,” Lippert said, which is why the luncheon was started 21 years ago, to thank law enforcement for their commitment to safety in the community.
Lippert said that since 1982, when the program began, that the DWI problem has been “partially solved,” as roads in this county and throughout New York have become statistically safer to drive. He also thanked law enforcers, educators and others in the community for the progress that has been made.
“We have given a unified message to the public that DWI is not acceptable,” he said.
Steve Goodfriend has replaced Lippert as the STOP DWI coordinator, but the two stay in contact, Lippert said. He now serves as public safety commissioner of Oneida.
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