The SC Department of Public Safety recognized law enforcement officers and agencies on Tuesday for their efforts in 2011 to enforce the state’s driving under the influence (DUI) laws and remove impaired drivers from South Carolina roadways, according to a department release.  

The department presented awards to officers and agencies in several categories and held drawings for agencies to win equipment and vehicles during a ceremony that combined its Seventh Annual DUI Enforcement and 2011 Law Enforcement DUI Challenge recognitions.

Among the top honorees was Senior Patrol Officer Riley Null of the Irmo Police Department. 

Null was one of five officers who received the Officer of the Year Award. He had 66 DUI arrests for 2011. 

Those officers nominated for the top awards such as Officer of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Highway Troop of the Year didn't go away empty-handed.

The following officers were recognized as DUI Heroes and received pins in bronze, silver or gold:

The Bronze category for 10 to 24 DUI arrests:

• Officer Robert Uhall, Columbia Police Department
• Officer Ryan Johnson, Columbia Police Department
• Officer Scott B. Desrochers Jr., Columbia Police Department
• Officer Kyle Gilbert, Columbia Police Department
• Officer Justin M. Carabetta, Cayce Department of Public Safety
• Officer Austol Youmans, Cayce Department of Public Safety
• Officer Billy Parker, Cayce Department of Public Safety
• Officer John Elkin, Cayce Department of Public Safety
• Officer Schylur Wells, Irmo Police Department
• Corporal Mike Lawler, Lexington Police Department
• Officer Grady Johnson, Lexington Police Department
• Sergeant Jeremy Sooter, Lexington Police Department
• Officer Brandon Hassler, Lexington Police Department
• Deputy Charles Sullivan, Richland County Sheriff's Office
• Deputy Ryan Galinski, Richland County Sheriff's Office

The Gold category for 50 or more DUI arrests:

• Officer Evan Antley, Cayce Department of Public Safety
• Officer Riley Null, Irmo Police Department
• Deputy James Owens, Richland County Sheriff's Office
• Lance Corporal, Kevin M. Caldwell, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1 (includes Lexington and Richland counties)
• Lance Corporal Wilson O. Horton, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1
• Senior Trooper A. L. Antley, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1
• Senior Trooper Joshua S. Starkey, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1
• Lance Corporal Rickey Dale Martin, SC Highway Patrol Troop 1 DUI Team