--- title: Maryland Recognizes Over 80 Law Enforcement Officers for Impaired Driving Enforcement canonical: https://marylandfeed.com/maryland-recognizes-over-80-law-enforcement-officers-for-impaired-driving-enforcement/ published: '2026-11-03T12:40:33-05:00' updated: '2026-11-03T12:40:33-05:00' author: MarylandFeed Staff section: Motor Vehicle Administration places: - Anne Arundel County - Montgomery County - Baltimore County - Baltimore City tags: - Driving - Maryland State Police - Roads - Motor Vehicle Administration - MDOT - Maryland Transportation Authority source: Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration source_url: https://mva.maryland.gov/news/2026-impaired-driving-awards publisher: MarylandFeed attribution: Copyright MarylandFeed. Quote with credit to MarylandFeed and a link to the canonical URL above. --- # Maryland Recognizes Over 80 Law Enforcement Officers for Impaired Driving Enforcement More than 80 law enforcement officers from 24 state, county, and local police agencies were recognized for their efforts to enforce impaired driving laws during the annual Impaired Driving Law Enforcement Awards on October 31, 2026. The event, hosted by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office and the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, celebrated the officers' contributions to reducing impaired driving incidents in Maryland. According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, these combined efforts resulted in over 13,000 Driving Under the Influence arrests in 2025. Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer stated that the recognition reaffirms the shared responsibility to protect all road users. --- ### Press Release: Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration *Published November 2, 2026. Reproduced in full from the [Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration](https://mva.maryland.gov/news/2026-impaired-driving-awards).* #### Maryland Honors Law Enforcement Officers Committed to Preventing Impaired Driving **GLEN BURNIE, MD**: More than 80 law enforcement officers representing 24 state, county and local police agencies were recognized for their dedication to enforcing Maryland’s impaired driving laws and keeping the state’s roadways safe during the annual Impaired Driving Law Enforcement Awards, hosted by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA) Highway Safety Office (MHSO) and the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) on October 31. The ceremony in Towson celebrated officers for their outstanding efforts to prevent impaired driving and reduce related crashes, fatalities and injuries. Combined efforts of law enforcement officers across Maryland resulted in more than 13,000 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests in 2025, demonstrating their significant efforts to proactively identify and remove impaired drivers from Maryland roads. “Maryland is committed to supporting the law enforcement professionals who work every day to make our roads safer,” said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “By recognizing these officers’ dedication to impaired driving enforcement and prevention, we reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect all road users and prevent avoidable tragedies.” During the event, officers were recognized for their efforts to proactively identify and remove impaired drivers from Maryland Roads. Six officers were commended for making more than 100 DUI arrests each: - Trooper First Class Nicholas Marley, Maryland State Police (112 arrests); - Trooper First Class Nathanial Hitch, Maryland State Police (110 arrests); - Trooper First Class Logan Speak, Maryland State Police (120 arrests); - Trooper First Class Idrissa Riba Tankari, Maryland State Police (103 arrests); - Trooper First Class Bryce Thienhom, Maryland State Police (155 arrests); and - Police Officer II Justin Insley, Maryland Transportation Authority Police (120 arrests). Officers who have earned the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) designation also received recognition for their work. DREs are trained in a scientifically validated method to identify people whose driving is impaired by drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. The following DREs were recognized during the event: - Maryland State Police Trooper First Class Nathaniel Hitch; - Maryland State Police Corporal Adam Oleyar; - Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department Officer II Timothy Baublitz; - Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department Officer II Stewart Fountain; and - Baltimore Police Department Officer Christopher Balok. Sergeant Justin Duncan of the Anne Arundel County Police Department was honored as Maryland’s DRE of the Year, for his outstanding performance in the Maryland DRE program and continuing effort to educate officers on the removal of drug-impaired drivers from our roads. Deputy First Class Douglas Schultz of the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff was named the recipient of the Noah Leotta Memorial Award. The award is given in memory of Officer Noah Leotta, a Montgomery County Police Officer who tragically lost his life in 2015 after he was struck by an impaired driver during a holiday DUI patrol. “Maryland’s law enforcement officers play a vital role in preventing impaired driving and protecting lives on our roadways,” said Kurt Erickson, President of WRAP. “Their commitment to keeping impaired drivers off the road and raising awareness about the dangers of impaired driving helps make our communities safer for everyone.” Maryland's Impaired Driving Enforcement Awards are supported by a grant from MHSO to WRAP. Over the past five years, more than 28,500 crashes on Maryland roads involved drivers impaired by drugs and/or alcohol. Those crashes resulted in 786 deaths and 1,673 serious injuries. To help prevent these tragedies, the MVA and MHSO support year-round high-visibility impaired driving enforcement and public education campaigns, including “Be the SOBER Driver” and “Be the MAKE A PLAN Driver.” These campaigns encourage motorists to make responsible choices, plan ahead and ensure they have a safe, sober ride home. These efforts are part of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s [Serious About Safety](https://www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/pages/index.aspx?PageId=188) campaign, a coordinated initiative emphasizing the shared responsibility of every driver, passenger, and pedestrian to make safe choices on the road. Together with law enforcement and community partners, the Maryland Department of Transportation is committed to building a culture of safety and accountability across the state. Learn more about the Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office at [ZeroDeathsMD.gov](https://zerodeathsmd.gov/) or on Facebook, X and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD. Source: [Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration](https://mva.maryland.gov/news/2026-impaired-driving-awards)