Eighteen police officers have been honoured for their efforts to get impaired drivers off the road.
The Team Nick Coates Awards were handed out at RNC headquarters in St. John’s yesterday.
Twelve RNC and six RCMP officers were recognized for their work.
Gold awards were presented to those who took more than 12 impaired drivers off the road in the last year, while silver awards went to officers who arrested a minimum of eight.
(Royal Newfoundland Constabulary)
For the seventh year in a row, RNC constable Geoffrey Heffernan has been recognized for his efforts. Over the last year he has made 14 arrests.
Heffernan says the awards serve as a reminder that there are a number of people who aren’t getting the message about the consequences of driving under the influence.
He says it is “frustrating” to see how many people drive impaired, noting that in the past he pulled over the same person multiple times because the message isn’t sinking in.
