KDOT presents Gardner Police Department with gold-level community traffic safety award; Sergeant Rolfe recognized

Dawn Hughes, a law enforcement liaison with the Kansas Department of Transportation, presented the Gardner Police Department with a gold-level community traffic safety award and described the program’s purpose and selection criteria.

"I'm Dawn Hughes. I'm a law enforcement liaison for the Kansas Department of Transportation," Hughes said, explaining that KDOT connects law enforcement agencies with grants to support equipment, overtime and community education efforts. She described a multi-page application KDOT uses to evaluate education, enforcement and community outreach initiatives and noted four award levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum.

Hughes said the award recognizes local efforts on education in schools and partnerships with other agencies and noted that only a small number of platinum awards are given statewide. She thanked Gardner Police leadership and volunteers for community partnership and for helping keep local taxes down by securing grant-funded equipment and training.

Sergeant Rolfe accepted the recognition. "I accept this award," Rolfe said, and council members praised his service. Hughes also noted the department’s participation in statewide impaired-driving campaigns and singled out a longtime officer — later identified in remarks as having 25 years of service and a notable record of impaired-driving arrests — for additional recognition.

The presentation was ceremonial. No ordinance, grant award document, or budget allocation related to the award was recorded in the meeting minutes during the session.