2022 Award Winners

Presented to Officer Specialist Nicole Basford of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Over the Operation Dry Water weekend, Officer Specialist Nicole Basford made four arrests for boating under the influence.

Officer Specialist (OS) Basford is a ten-year veteran of conservation law enforcement who showed an interest and capability for BUI enforcement early in her career. She is Breath Test Operator certified, has completed the Advanced Roadside Impaired Detection Enforcement Course, the FWC Intoxilyzer Inspector Course, the NASBLA BUI Instructor Course, and is currently the Agency Intoxilyzer Inspector for FWC’s Northwest Region.

Presented to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

The 2022 Small Category Top Agency is awarded to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department from the state of California. Over the course of the three-day heightened enforcement weekend, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deployed three officers who made 15 boating under the influence arrests.

Presented to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

The 2022 Medium Category Top Agency is presented to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. During the three-day Operation Dry Water weekend, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources deployed 26 officers who made 10 boating under the influence arrests.

Presented to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). 

The 2022 Large Category Top Agency is awarded to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Over the course of the Operation Dry Water weekend, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission deployed 153 officers and made 65 boating under the influence arrests.

Presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

TWRA is the sole state agency responsible for enforcing the boating laws of the state of Tennessee. The TWRA officers, command staff, and media team have taken a powerful stance and role in educating and enforcing boating under the influence laws. These efforts are always magnified through their participation in the Operation Dry Water campaign. The TWRA Boating & Law Enforcement Division hosted a press conference on July 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee, in partnership with NASBLA, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. This press event was designed to bring national attention to the fact that boating under the influence is driving under the influence and should be viewed by boaters, prosecutors, judges and the public as one in the same. In addition to this, wildlife officers conducted numerous media engagements to talk about the Operation Dry Water campaign. This included radio show appearances, social media messages, and videos to increase awareness of the dangers associated with boating while impaired.