BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota’s top traffic safety advocates were recognized with awards for their outstanding service at the Vision Zero Partner Conference today in Bismarck.
The Vision Zero Partner Conference holds an awards ceremony annually for those who show outstanding service and dedication to accomplish the overall goal of Vision Zero, to eliminate motor vehicle crash fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roads.
The Bismarck region winners are in the following categories:
2022 Beyond the Traffic Stop Award – This award honors officers who used outstanding investigative skills that led to multiple arrests for narcotics, stolen property, and/or outstanding warrants from a single routine traffic stop.
Bismarck Police Department
Officer Joseph Benke
Officer Joseph Gebhardt
Officer Zachary Hayden
Officer Tyler Mahowald
Officer Brandon Rosen
Officer Andrew Hulm
Officer Nickolas Pynnonen
2022 Vision Zero Appreciation Award – This new award recognizes individuals and/or organizations who actively play a role in decreasing motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries in North Dakota through their work to support Vision Zero.
Aaron Birst – Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor
Terry Traynor – Director of the North Dakota Association of Counties
2022 Traffic Safety Media Award – This award is for the reporters/news organizations that have been fair, balanced and informative in reporting transportation/traffic-related issues on radio, television, newspaper or internet/social media.
The Bismarck Tribune
2022 Child Passenger Safety Award – This award recognizes Child Passenger Safety Technicians and/or instructors for their commitment to child passenger safety.
Chelsey Trebas – Custer Health, Mandan
The Devils Lake region winner is:
2022 Traffic Safety Media Award – This award is for the reporters/news organizations that have been fair, balanced and informative in reporting transportation/traffic-related issues on radio, television, newspaper or internet/social media.
The Devils Lake Journal
The Fargo region winners are in the following categories:
2022 Vision Zero Traffic Safety Officer of the Year – This award is for a single officer who has displayed a well-rounded effort for traffic safety through enforcement, community education and training.
Trooper Kristjan Helgoe – North Dakota Highway Patrol
2022 Traffic Safety Media Award – This award is for the reporters/news organizations that have been fair, balanced and informative in reporting transportation/traffic-related issues on radio, television, newspaper or internet/social media.
Jay Thomas Show – WDAY Radio
2022 Civil Servant Award – This award is for individuals who have gone above and beyond to assist or provide information to law enforcement to remove a reckless or impaired driver from the roadway.
Bryan Bridgeford – West Fargo
2022 Honor Roll Award – This award recognizes outstanding service to the community, information technology, safety, public affairs and/or consumer education programs throughout the state of North Dakota in the area of traffic safety.
Ariel Johnson – Richland County Health Department
The Grand Forks region winners are in the following categories:
2022 Drug Recognition (DRE) Officer of the Year – This award is for a single DRE officer who excels in conducting drug evaluations, is active in promoting the DRE program within their agency and provides education and awareness to their peers and community about the dangers of drug use and drugged driving.
Corporal Matthew Woodley – Grand Forks Police Department
2022 Beyond the Traffic Stop Award – This award honors officers who used outstanding investigative skills that led to multiple arrests for narcotics, stolen property, and/or outstanding warrants from a single routine traffic stop.
Officer Andrew Rebel and Officer James Opp – Grand Forks Police Department
2022 Honor Roll Award – This award recognizes outstanding service to the community, information technology, safety, public affairs and/or consumer education programs throughout the state of North Dakota in the area of traffic safety.
Bill Vasicek – Altru Health System
The Minot region winner is:
2022 Infrastructure Individual of the Year – This award recognizes an individual that improves infrastructure safety to roadways, bridges, or bicyclists/pedestrians throughout the state, region, a county or an organization.
Stephen Joersz – City of Minot
The Williston region winner is:
2022 Traffic Safety Media Award – This award is for the reporters/news organizations that have been fair, balanced and informative in reporting transportation/traffic-related issues on radio, television, newspaper or internet/social media.
The Mountrail County Promoter
The two-day conference hosts representatives of law enforcement, transportation, engineering, public health and other partners from across the state to discuss traffic safety topics.
The Vision Zero Partner Conference is made possible thanks to Hess Corporation, 3M, ATSSA Northland Chapter, ConocoPhillips, Puklich Chevrolet and HDR.
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