MADD honours officers for getting impaired drivers off the streets
By Lethbridge Herald on October 24, 2025.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Anita Huchala, president of MADD Lethbridge and Area Chapter stands alongside five officers who were recognized with the Cpl. Cumming's Watch awards and Deputy Chief Gerald Grobmeier Wednesday afternoon at the Lethbridge Police stationAlejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald
Seven Lethbridge Police Service officers have been recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for their efforts in detecting and removing impaired drivers from Southern Alberta roads.
Anita Huchala, President of MADD Lethbridge and Area Chapter, presented the officers with Cpl. Cumming’s Watch awards on Wednesday. Established in 2015, the Cpl. Cumming’s Watch is a collaborative initiative between MADD Canada, Alberta RCMP, and Alberta Transportation, Office of Traffic Safety in honour of Cpl. Graeme Cumming, a member of the RCMP who was killed on duty by an impaired driver on Highway 3 near Lethbridge in 1998.
Constable Brent Paxman achieved the highest this year by removing 94 impaired drivers right here in the City of Lethbridge in 2024, said Huchala.
Nominations for Cpl. Cumming’s Watch are open to every police agency in Alberta. Officers who charge between 15 and 24 impaired drivers during a calendar year or conduct between 5 and 10 Drug Recognition Evaluations (DRE), receive a certificate of recognition and a silver challenge coin. Officers who charge 25 or more impaired drivers or conduct more than 10 DREs receive a certificate of recognition and a gold challenge coin.
Three officers received a certificate of recognition and a gold challenge coin: Cst. Brent Paxman for charging 94 impaired drivers, Cst. Shaun McCarthy for charging 30 impaired drivers and Cst. Mike Dowsley for charging 28 impaired drivers.
Four officers received a certificate of recognition and a silver challenge coin: Cst. Jack Krysztofiak for charging 19 impaired drivers, Cst. Josh Smith for charging 17 impaired drivers,
Cst. Barent Goodrich for conducting nine drug recognition evaluations, and Cst. Mackenzie Morisseau for conducting five drug recognition evaluations.
Huchala said their efforts are recognized because the impact is out there, when someone loses a loved one or someone gets injured by an impaired driver, it affects more than just the individuals directly impacted.
“The crash scene itself has witnesses, then you have all the first responders that respond to it, people may need to go to the hospital so now you have hospital staff possibly impacted by it, possibly a coroner’s office and a funeral home. And that sometimes happens even before the families are notified.”
She said MADD continues to educate the public on other ways to get home safely and on making better decisions, to not get behind the wheel.
“Don’t take that risk, is not worth it. Plan ahead, don’t get behind the wheel, because not only may you kill somebody, but you may injure or kill yourself as well.”
Anyone who observes a suspected impaired driver, should call 911. We also ask the community to refrain from sharing the location of any Check Stop on social media as doing so assists impaired drivers avoid detection and puts all road users at risk.
14-13
great – let’s turn this into a “contest”, a competition…like bringing home the most beaver tails.