By Sarah Nagem
Salisbury Post
A group at East Rowan High School honored 10 local law-enforcement officers Tuesday for arresting the most drunk drivers.
The Brad Patrick Chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions ó formerly Students Against Drunk Driving ó recognized officers who made the most DUI arrests for their agencies.
About 50 students participate actively in East Rowan’s SADD chapter, said Anne Hoffman, an intervention specialist at the school.
The group is named for Patrick, an East Rowan student killed by a drunk driver in 1989.
T.D. Cato, an N.C. Highway Patrol trooper, got involved with East Rowan’s SADD chapter after Patrick died. Since then, Cato said, students have petitioned state leaders for tougher drunk-driving laws and have written letters to a DWI taskforce.”They do a lot of good things,” Cato said.
Last month, some SADD members took part in a traffic checkpoint before the prom. After law enforcement officers determined drivers weren’t doing anything wrong, students gave the drivers air fresheners.
“They thanked people for being safe and sober,” Cato said.
This year, the group honored the following officers. Together, they arrested more than 150 drunk drivers, Cato said.
– James Briggs, China Grove Police
– Joshua Eller, Cleveland Police
– John Reep, East Spencer Police
– Rodney Seamon, Granite Quarry Police
– Mark Benfield, Landis Police
– C.J. Doty, N.C. Highway Patrol
– Phillip Shuffler, Rockwell Police
– Josh McHone, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office
– Joe Miller, Salisbury Police
– Gregory McKinney, Spencer Police