“Make the Call” is No DUI Larimer’s call to action. Making the right Call means many things – like calling for a sober ride home, calling 911 to report impaired drivers, making a responsible decision, and creating change.

We often write that No DUI Larimer is part of a many-faceted community approach to combat impaired driving. That community includes government and nonprofit organizations, law enforcement officers, and all Larimer County residents.

No DUI Larimer has dedicated this post to five heroes who made the call to stop impaired drivers. Here are their stories.

Photo courtesy of Fox21 News

Keeping impaired drivers off the road: Deputy Daniel LeBaron

Deputy Daniel LeBaron of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office was named one of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)’s latest DUI Enforcement Heroes in August 2021. In 161 days, LeBaron conducted 348 traffic stops, made 75 DUI arrests and 41 felony arrests, and responded to 593 calls for service from his community.

MADD Colorado said, “Deputy LeBaron found his niche in 2020 with locating and detecting drivers in El Paso County operating their motor vehicles under the influence of drugs. Most of his DUI arrests involved individuals who were found to have some form of drugs in their blood, with a majority being methamphetamine.”

MADD also recognized LeBaron for continuing to provide outstanding community service during the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the safety of himself and drivers while enforcing the law and providing traffic safety education to the El Paso County community.

Calling for a sober ride home: A prepared mother

Last month, No DUI Larimer received a message from a woman who made the right call for herself and her son. Layla (named changed for privacy) raised her son to drink responsibly, saying, “I always told him to call his father or me if he was [drunk] and we would come and get him.”

Layla’s responsible parenting paid off years later when she found herself too intoxicated to drive and needed a ride home. She made the call to her adult son and, as she proudly told us – “He was there for me.”

Photo via Sky-Hi News

DUI law enforcement: Deputy Steve Hines

Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Hines of Grand County was honored as a MADD DUI Enforcement Hero in September 2021. Deputy Hines worked 14 High Visibility Enforcement shifts in 2020, arresting one-third of DUI suspects arrested by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.

“The dedication proven by Deputy Steve Hines demonstrates his unwavering commitment to the community he serves, lives and loves his family in,” said Lee Birk, law enforcement liaison for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said, “As Sheriff, I am deeply humbled and personally inspired by the dedicated work ethic of Deputy Steve Hines. In the law enforcement profession, we take an oath to protect and serve the community. The value placed in upholding this oath is evident in Deputy Hines’ commitment to service.”

Photo courtesy of Colorado State Patrol

Answering the call: Trooper Jaimie Jursevics

Trooper Jaimie Jursevics gave her life in pursuit of roadway safety. On November 15, 2015, Trooper Jursevics reported to the scene of an accident on I-25. After arriving. Trooper Jursevics received a call about a suspected drunk driver approaching her location. While attempting to flag down the suspect, the driver collided with Trooper Jursevics, killing her instantly.

Fifteen miles from the crash scene, the driver was apprehended and ultimately charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, and driving under the influence.

No DUI Larimer aims to prevent tragedies involving heroes like Trooper Jursevics by encouraging our readers and followers to always Make the Call for a sober ride home.

A community service legacy: Corporal Dan Swint

Corporal Dan Swint of the Denver Police Department served 26 years before he was forced into retirement in 2015 by a drunk driver. While arresting a suspected drunk driver on I-25, Corporal Swint was struck by another drunk driver and seriously injured.

Throughout his years in service, Corporal Swint made over 3,000 DUI arrests, saving countless lives on Colorado roadways.

“So many people will never know the debt that they owe to Corporal Swint. Every time he stopped a drunk or drugged driver, he potentially saved a life,” said MADD Colorado State Executive Director Fran Lanzer while awarding Swint the Col. Mark V. Trostel Officer of the Year award.

No DUI Larimer thanks each of these heroes for their contributions to Colorado roadway safety, and each of our readers who drink responsibly and Make the Call every day.

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