AAIM honors Morris' top DUI enforcers
MORRIS – Five of Morris police’s finest received recognition from the Morris City Council Monday for their exceptional efforts in keeping drunken drivers off the city’s roads.
Officers Monty Allbert, Curtis Kneller, Doris Noll, Charles Newton and Daniel Burke received recognition from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists and were given Certificates of Appreciation at Monday’s council meeting.
“I’m very proud of the diligence shown by these five officers,” Mayor Richard Kopczick said. “They work not only to keep the streets safe, but to make the state of Illinois a safer place.”
In 2008, when Morris police had 25 sworn officers, the department made 57 driving under the influence arrests, according to AAIM’s Web site. Minooka police, with 21 officers, made 29 arrests, and Coal City, with 12 officers, made seven arrests.
AAIM’s purpose is to prevent deaths and injuries caused by intoxicated drivers in Illinois and to help the victims of these drivers and the victims’ families.
Every year, AAIM conducts a survey of more than 700 police agencies in the state, asking for each police department’s top DUI officers. While looking at each department’s statistics of the nominated officers, AAIM considers the size of each town, Chief Brent Dite said. Every year, Morris nominates its top five or so.
“The majority of a patrol officer’s job is to deal with traffic enforcement and education,” Dite said. “When they come across an intoxicated driver, it is their job to get that person off the street. The importance of DUI enforcement is especially evident after the Jahn case.”
Amanda Jahn and her two small children were killed Nov. 6, 2008, after an allegedly drunken driver, Ann Marie Getz, blew a stop sign at Illinois 47 and Gardner Blacktop in unincorporated Mazon, crashing into the Dwight family. Getz, 43, of Ransom, recently pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence.
Patrolwoman Noll has received recognition in the past from AAIM during her seven years with Morris police.
“It’s all a part of our job and I’m going to continue to keep the citizens of Morris safe and the people who drive on the streets safe,” Noll said. “I’m trying to do everything in my power to do so.”
One of Morris’ newest officers, Patrolman Burke, who has been with Morris police for two years, said DUI enforcement is all in a day's work.
“It makes the streets safer; that’s our job,” he said.
For more information on the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, visit www.aaim1.org.