[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1717-E1718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE WASHINGTON REGIONAL ALCOHOL PROGRAM LAW ENFORCEMENT 
                    AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2018

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Washington 
Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and to congratulate the recipients of 
the 21st Annual Law Enforcement Awards of Excellence for Impaired 
Driving Prevention.
  Founded in 1982, WRAP is an award-winning, public-private coalition 
formed to fight drunk driving, drugged driving, and underage drinking 
in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. Through educational and 
innovative public outreach programs, WRAP is credited with keeping 
local alcohol-related death rates consistently below the national 
average. Its programs educate students and the general public on the 
dangers of alcohol and drugs, particularly driving while under the 
influence. Through the WRAP Holiday SoberRide program, individuals who 
are impaired can request a free cab ride home. Since SoberRide was 
launched in 1991, 73,123 free cab rides have been provided in the 
Washington Metropolitan area, preventing potential accidents and 
deaths.
  In 1982, the year that WRAP was founded, 26,173 people in the United 
States lost their

[[Page E1718]]

lives in alcohol-related car accidents, and 60 percent of all traffic 
fatalities involved drunk driving. Due to the tireless efforts of WRAP, 
other organizations such as MADD and SADD, local and state police, and 
enforcement of more stringent anti-drunk driving laws, considerable 
progress has been made in decreasing the number of alcohol-related 
traffic fatalities, especially here in the Washington Metropolitan 
Region. According to the Council of Governments, the number of alcohol-
impaired fatalities, injuries, and crashes have all decreased since 
2014. However, more work still remains as 28.04 percent of all traffic 
fatalities in the region in 2016 were alcohol or drug related.
  Since 1997, WRAP has sponsored an annual Law Enforcement Awards 
Ceremony to honor local law enforcement professionals who have gone 
above and beyond the call of duty in the fight against drunk driving. 
It is my honor to include in the Record the names of the 2018 Law 
Enforcement Awards of Excellence for Impaired Driving Prevention 
recipients:
  Officer Joseph Winkeler, City of Alexandria Police Department; 
Officer Michael Mitchell, Arlington County Police Department; Officer 
Bryce Cooper, City of Falls Church Police Department; Patrol Officer 
First Class Rashid S. Roberts, Fairfax County Police Department; 
Officer Jonathan Heavner, Town of Herndon Police Department; Deputy 
Gerald Presson, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office; Trooper First Class 
Anthony Wallace, Maryland State Police; Officer Zachary Speck, 
Metropolitan Police Department; Police Officer III John P. Romack, 
Montgomery County Department of Police; Police Officer First Class 
Thomas H. Kosakowski, Prince George's County Police Department; Officer 
Matthew Sciabica, Prince William County Police Department; Officer Seth 
A. Carll, United States Capitol Police; Traffic Safety Unit, United 
States Park Police; and Trooper Lucie Vajglova, Virginia State Police.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the 
recipients of the Law Enforcement Awards of Excellence and in 
recognizing WRAP for its 36 years of public service. I commend the 
staff of WRAP under the leadership of President and CEO Kurt Erickson 
and Board Chairman Gary Cohen for their tireless dedication to 
eradicating underage drinking and drunk or drugged driving. Their 
efforts combined with the support of partner organizations and law 
enforcement agencies have saved lives and are deserving of our highest 
praise and gratitude.

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