Several local law enforcement officers, two in Carbon County and one in Northampton County, were recently honored for their exemplary commitment to DUI enforcement.

Sgt. Jason Nothstein, officer-in-charge, Walnutport Police Department, along with patrolman Dane O’Brien, Palmerton Borough Police Department, and patrolman Josh Silfee, Weatherly Police Department, received 2024 DUI Top Gun Awards at the Pennsylvania DUI Association’s 45th annual meeting and training conference at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

Nothstein, who has been with the Walnutport Police Department for 25 years, was promoted to sergeant in September 2013.

A multi-time recipient of the Top Gun Award by the DUI Association, Nothstein received the Top Gun Award by the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force.

Nothstein, who has also been a certified Drug Recognition Expert since 2011, and a certified Drug Recognition Expert Instructor since 2015, was one of only three municipal officers in the entire commonwealth to accept the Top Gun Award for conducting DRE evaluations.

“Each and every time I have won the Top Gun Award, it is truly a special moment for me because, even though I’m not a fan of the acknowledgment,” Nothstein said, “I take impaired driving very seriously, and it is something that I take pride in to help protect everyday commuters from impaired driving.”

O’Brien said he also received the distinction last year.

“I appreciate being recognized for the award,” O’Brien said.

Silfee said it definitely an honor.

“A lot of hard work went into it,” Silfee said. “Two years ago I went through DRE school; the biggest tool in the tool bag is to get impaired drivers off the road.”

Silfee explained the importance of that training.

“Getting impaired drivers off the road, it’s always been an important part of my career,” he said. “Getting recognized for it was a little unexpected, but I’m pretty proud to be proud of one of those.

“There’s a certain amount of bragging rights, which is cool. It’s a pretty big deal, excited about it. Pretty happy to represent the county as a whole on behalf of Carbon County and on behalf of the agency.”

27th anniversary

The Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence Association recently celebrated its 27th anniversary of presenting the DUI Top Gun Awards.

At that time, the association honored 38 municipal law enforcement officers with the 2024 DUI Top Gun Awards.

“These officers have made it a priority to remove impaired drivers from our roads,” said Leo Hegarty, the DUI Association’s executive director.

“And,” Hegarty added, “they are an integral part of a comprehensive traffic safety plan with all of our highway safety partners to make our roadways safer.”

The honored Drug Recognition Expert Officers specialize in recognizing drug impairment, and they assist other officers by performing an evaluation to determine impairment.

First time DUI Top Gun Awards winners will also receive a preliminary breath testing device from the DUI Association to assist them in further identifying and removing impaired drivers from the state’s roadways.