Le Mars Police Chief Stuart Dekkenga (right) congratulates Dan Plueger (left) for being honored with the “Kip Hayward Award” as presented by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
(Le Mars) — A Le Mars Police officer was honored Thursday for his ability to recognize drug offenders. In 1994, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau memorialized Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Kipton Hayward’s ultimate sacrifice by forming the “Kip Hayward Award.” Each year since that time, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau has awarded one Drug Recognition Expert officer the award. The award is a special award among the
officers certified as a Drug Recognition Expert, and it signifies an officer reaching the highest mark in excellence to combating impaired driving. This year the Kip Hayward Award was presented to Dan Plueger with the Le Mars Police Department. In August of 2000, Plueger became an officer with the Le Mars Police Department, and in 2007 he became certified as a Drug Recognition Expert. Officer Plueger explains his interest of being a Drug Recognition Expert.
Officer Plueger has been the top DRE officer for northwest region of Iowa for the past eight out of ten years. Plueger says there are seven different categories in which a law enforcement officer will determine as to what type of drug the driver has been using leading to the impairment. He says you look for the different signs and make observations.
Officer Plueger was nominated for the award by Le Mars Police Chief Stuart Dekkenga. Officer Plueger has recorded over 508 OWI arrests and has done 215 Drug Influence Evaluations. In 2016 alone, Officer Plueger had 20 OWI arrests,
27 Drug Influence Evaluations, 320 traffic citations, and numerous warnings. He says he is very humbled to be given such a honor.
Our congratulations go to Le Mars Police Officer Dan Plueger.
