Three deputies from the Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) have been recognized at the 2024 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Annual Awards of Excellence for their work in impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition evaluations.
According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office website, Sgt. Anthony Mason and Deputy Hayden Lindquist from the S.A.F.E. Unit received the “DRE Hero Award” for completing 60 and 70 drug evaluations, respectively. Deputy Jay Murray from the Indian Trail Division was also honored for conducting 25 evaluations. Their efforts come amid a reported increase in narcotics-related impairment incidents in the community. The UCSO relies on certified Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) to detect and handle cases involving both alcohol and drug impairment. These deputies receive specialized training to identify impaired drivers and help improve road safety.
Support for the DRE program is bolstered by the UCSO Crime Laboratory, which includes in-house forensic chemists who conduct alcohol and drug testing. Sheriff Cathey emphasized the importance of community involvement and urged residents to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 911.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to focus on reducing impaired driving through enforcement and community cooperation.
