Mothers Against Drunk Driving named the Orange County Sheriff’s Office the 2017 Agency of the Year for North Carolina earlier this month.

The North Carolina chapter of MADD awards a sheriff’s office with this designation each year, along with Police Officer of the Year, Deputy Sheriff of the Year, DWI Team of the Year and others.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood called the award an honor.

“This award recognizes the significant strides taken by the Sheriff’s Office in the last four years to prioritize safety on all public vehicular areas throughout the County. I am proud of these accomplishments and pledge to continue to build on them.”

MADD credited the award to, among other factors, Blackwood’s focus on field-sobriety testing and having his deputies certified as chemical analysts.

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