Town of Marana issued the following announcement on Dec. 10.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Arizona awarded this year’s MADD Heroes Award to MPD Officer Maritza Schmidt in a ceremony on December 10, 2020.

This award is presented to law enforcement officers who work diligently to support MADD’s shared mission to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, and prevent underage drinking.  Officer Schmidt has dedicated herself to removing drunk drivers from the roadways.

“This award is very special to me due to the number of people impaired driving can effect,” said Officer Schmidt, “After being told numerous stories of the negative impact impaired driving has had on people, educating and stopping impaired drivers continues to be my favorite aspect of law enforcement.”

Officer Schmidt joined the Marana Police Department in the summer of 2017 and currently works as a patrol officer. Since then, she has obtained certifications in HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) and phlebotomy, which are used in correlation to DUI arrests and processing. She has made 32 DUI arrest and has performed 45 blood draws.

“Officer Schmidt has displayed the ability to document her observations of impairment in a clear and concise manner.  Her work ethic and attention to detail has gained her the respect of her peers and supervisors.” said MPD Sergeant Jose Alvarez.

Original source can be found here.