Arlington Heights Police Officer Receives Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Award

September 15, 2023

On Saturday, September 9th, 2023 Arlington Heights Police Officer Jeffery Heffernan was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) at a special awards banquet in Springfield, Illinois for his contributions towards impaired driving enforcement. MADD, a nationwide organization founded in 1980, serves as a lifeline for thousands of victims and survivors of drunk or drugged driving crashes with the common goal of ending impaired driving for good. The organization believes in the importance of acknowledging the hard work law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges do across the country in preventing crashes by patrolling and taking impaired drivers off our roadways. Each year, MADD Illinois, holds a law enforcement banquet to recognize law enforcement officers who have led the fight against impaired driving and underage drinking within their communities during the previous year. Officer Jeffrey Heffernan was one of 31 law enforcement officers in the State of Illinois recognized with the MADD Hero Award. Nominations for the award reflect noteworthy contributions by law enforcement officers in the areas of alcohol/drugged driving enforcement, related education, community involvement, training, volunteering and/or prevention of underage drinking.

Beginning his career with the Arlington Heights Police Department in 2018, Officer Heffernan developed a strong personal dedication towards the enforcement of impaired driving laws. He became one of the Arlington Heights Police Department’s first Drug Recognition Experts (DRE), receiving extensive and specialized training at identifying drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. The DRE program, supported by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), not only helps identify those under the influence of drugs, but also helps collect evidence to support successful prosecution.

Additionally, Officer Heffernan is a certified instructor in Standard Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), training officers in administering validated field sobriety tests aimed at detecting impaired driving. Aside from his extensive expertise, Officer Heffernan’s active enforcement of impaired driving laws has led to the arrest and prosecution of countless impaired motorists. His dedication has undoubtedly contributed to the safety of our community and, ultimately, prevention of unnecessary death and/or injury resulting from intoxicated motorists.