FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The North Carolina office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving recognized a member of the Fort Bragg military police for his efforts in the fight against drunk driving at a ceremony in Cary, N.C., Feb. 22.
Sgt. Stephen Fagan, 42nd MP Detachment, 16th MP Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, was nominated for his work with the sobriety court team in Cumberland County. This is the first time the Law Enforcement Award of Excellence of Eastern North Carolina Police has been awarded to a military servicemember.
Fagan has worked on the sobriety court team for two years and has been an MP for 10 years.
The Cumberland County sobriety court is a rehabilitative program where offenders are monitored and have random chemical testing to ensure compliance with the rules.
"(I served) as a military liaison," said Fagan. "If a military person is sent to sobriety court, I advise the judge on the personnel (as to whether or not) they're being honest."
Judge Kim Tucker, district court judge for Cumberland County, nominated Fagan for the MADD award because of his 'uniqueness.'
"It's outstanding … I never expected anything like this to happen to me," said Fagan. "The most rewarding aspect is all the people I've been able to meet, the different agencies I have worked with; they're all good people."
According to Tucker, there was a significant number of people in court with driving under the influence citations, and the court needed a military liaison involved in the decision-making process for those who were servicemembers.
Fagan holds the record for fastest time from arrest to detention on the sobriety court team. Fagan also contributed outside the courtroom by working directly with MADD and conducting multiple check points in conjunction with different jurisdictions.
Elizabeth Keever, chief district court judge for Cumberland County, wrote a letter on Fagan's behalf, providing additional validation to his nomination. "It's been a great opportunity for us to have someone from Fort Bragg to assist in projects," said Keever. "(He) helps us all work together."
The Fort Bragg Provost Marshal's Office and Cumberland County have been working together on the sobriety court team since 2011.
"We don't miss out on the opportunity to serve our military members to ensure we're providing services to them," said Keever. "They're a part of our community. We provide resources for them to understand what we're trying to accomplish."
Due to the great success working together with Fagan, Keever hopes that it will "lead to more interaction with military in the future."
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