FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2025
CONTACT: ARRIALE TABSON
Mobile: 615-767-3242
Arriale.Tabson@TN.Gov
TENNESSEE HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE ANNOUNCES AWARD RECIPIENTS FROM 37TH ANNUAL TENNESSEE LIFESAVERS CONFERENCE, 21ST ANNUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGE
TENNESSEE – Today, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced award recipients from its 37th Annual Tennessee Lifesavers Conference and 21st Annual Law Enforcement Challenge held Aug. 6 – 8, 2025. Agencies and individuals were recognized for excelling in child passenger safety, drug recognition, teen driver safety, traffic enforcement, and more. Every year, the THSO hosts this event to empower highway safety professionals and reward extraordinary efforts made to reduce traffic fatalities statewide.
"The THSO is honored to recognize our local heroes going above and beyond the call of duty," said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. "Whether you are a first responder, community advocate, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer – you play an important role in traffic safety and make a difference in saving lives every day. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our traffic safety partners as we continue striving toward zero deaths on Tennessee roads."
During pre-conference events on Wednesday, Aug. 6, the THSO recognized Tennessee’s best child passenger safety technicians and drug recognition expert for excelling in their areas of expertise.
Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Award Winners
- Dr. Robert Sander's Leadership and Service Award – Nissan Snug Kids program (Deanna Hayes, Martin Lambrecht, Mitch Davidson, Bryan Lewis, Kevin Betts, and Natalie Hewett)
- Diamond of the Year – Children's Resource Center at Niswonger Children's Hospital
- Fitting Station of the Year: Law Enforcement Agency Partner – Knoxville Police Department
- Fitting Station of the Year: Public Health & Emergency Response Partner – Families Forward Program at Signal Centers
- Instructor of the Year – Tiffany Alford, Ballad Health / Niswonger Children's Hospital
- Technician of the Year – Mark Mara, McMinnville Police Department
Drug Recognition Expert Service Award Winner
- Sergeant Jacob Hibdon, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office
The THSO also recognized local high schools for excelling in the THSO’s Reduce TN Crashes program, a peer-to-peer initiative empowering students to increase teen driver safety in their local communities. During the 2024-2025 school year, thirty-five schools across the state participated in the Reduce TN Crashes program. Among these schools, sixteen received gold award recognition for earning 3,000 points or more through Reduce TN Crashes activities.
Reduce TN Crashes Gold Award Winners
1. Dyer County High School
2. Volunteer High School
3. Walker Valley High School
4. Science Hill High School
5. Hampton High School
6. Wayne County High School
7. Cleveland High School
8. Cherokee High School
9. Bradley Central High School
10. Stone Memorial High School
11. Rhea County High School
12. Cumberland County High School
13. Sycamore High School
14. Obion County High School
15. Sevier County High School
16. Van Buren County High School
The Reduce TN Crashes program concluded the school year with a total of 2,117 activities submitted, showcasing the widespread engagement of students and incredible impact of the program. The top three schools – Dyer County High School, Volunteer High School, and Walker Valley High School – led the pack by earning more than 82,000 points each.
On Thursday, Aug. 7, THSO Director Buddy Lewis presented Director’s Awards to individuals and/or organizations nominated for extraordinary efforts in supporting traffic safety. Winners were recognized for achievements in traffic safety education, advocacy, and/or enforcement to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities through THSO grant-funded programs. Descriptions of each Director’s Awards winner are available at tnlifesaverschallenge.com.
Director’s Awards
- The 24/7 Movement (Executive Director Randy Bonner, Matt Dillard, Terri Dillard)
- Chief Randy Evans, Cookeville Police Department (retired)
- Stephanie Scarborough, Tennessee Tech University’s iCube (formerly)
- Deputy Christopher Pearce, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
- Kathy Kilgore Beeler, Drug Free Dickson Coalition
On Friday, Aug. 8, the THSO recognized the achievements of law enforcement agencies statewide during the 21st Annual Law Enforcement Challenge. This year, sixty-six Law Enforcement Challenge applications were submitted: fifteen from the West region, twenty from the Middle region, eighteen from the East region, and thirteen from the Cumberland region.
Law Enforcement Challenge award winners were determined based on the highest accumulation of points in each category. Points were accumulated based on THSO grant-funded activities to increase traffic safety in local communities, except for the Best-Looking Cruiser Award which was voter-based and the Beyond the Traffic Stop Award which was nominated. Asterisks (*) indicate a tie.
21st Annual Law Enforcement Challenge Winners
1 – 10 Officers Category
- First place: Benton Police Department
- Second place: Chapel Hill Police Department
- Third place: Jamestown Police Department
11 – 25 Officers Category
- First place: Fairfield Glade Police Department
- Second place: Red Bank Police Department
- Third place: Metro Moore County Sheriff’s Office
26 – 45 Officers Category
- First place: McMinnville Police Department
- Second place: Union City Police Department *
- Second place: Obion County Sheriff’s Office *
46 – 75 Officers Category
- First place: Dickson Police Department
- Second place: Alcoa Police Department
- Third place: Crossville Police Department
76 – 100 Officers Category
- First place: Gallatin Police Department
- Second place: Cookeville Police Department
- Third place: Columbia Police Department
101 – 200 Officers Category
- First place: Franklin Police Department
- Second place: Bartlett Police Department
- Third place: Kingsport Police Department
201 – 500 Officers Category
- First place: Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office
- Second place: Chattanooga Police Department
501 or More Officers Category
- First place: Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
- Second place: Memphis Police Department
Best-Looking Cruiser Award
- Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
Beyond The Traffic Stop Award
- Deputy Daniel Soto, Williamson County Sheriff's Office
Highest-Scoring Police Department
- Franklin Police Department
Highest-Scoring Sheriff's Office
- Rutherford County Sheriff's Office
Regional Overall Award Winners
- West Tennessee Region: Bartlett Police Department
- Middle Tennessee Region: Franklin Police Department
- Cumberland Tennessee Region: Fairfield Glade Police Department
- East Tennessee Region: Kingsport Police Department
Tennessee Highway Patrol Districts Category
- First place: District 4 – Memphis
- Second place: District 6 – Cookeville
- Third place: District 7 – Lawrenceburg
University Police Category
- First place: Walters State Community College Police Department
- Second place: Austin Peay State University Police Department
- Third place: University of Tennessee Knoxville Police Department
For more information about the conference, please visit www.tnlifesaverschallenge.com.
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Download Photos of Award Winners
Child Passenger Safety Awards: https://photos.app.goo.gl/moL6Uy2jZLVWQGBB8
Drug Recognition Expert Service Award: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZBQM8dsji4S5BQ1a6
Director’s Awards: https://photos.app.goo.gl/cx2JRV27JV5GVjBN8
2025 THSO Law Enforcement Challenge (Photos by TN Photo Services): https://flickr.com/gp/139218170@N08/091g6bU1V6
Law Enforcement Challenge Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iFGJbefkXXocouVe8
The Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security's mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee.
Highway Safety Office (THSO) is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security advocating for traffic safety. The THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by the THSO are 100 percent federally funded. The THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement, and evaluate these programs. To learn more, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.