2025 Award Winners

Presented to Game Warden Corporal Ryan Locke of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division.

Over the 72-hour Operation Dry Water weekend, Game Warden Cpl. Ryan Locke led an impressive enforcement effort on Lake Lanier, one of the state’s busiest waterways. He coordinated multi-agency patrols across five enforcement zones, deploying eight boats and 14 officers to ensure strong coverage and safety. His leadership resulted in hundreds of vessel checks, numerous citations and arrests, and he personally accounted for more than 60% of his region’s and 35% of the state’s BUI arrests. Beyond ODW, Locke continues to advance boating safety through patrol, enforcement, and education statewide.

Presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency District 21.

This year’s Southern Region Law Enforcement Award was presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) District 21. During the 2025 Operation Dry Water weekend, TWRA District 21 demonstrated outstanding dedication to boating safety and BUI enforcement. Covering 11 counties and five major lakes, officers devoted more than 630 patrol hours, resulting in 2,348 vessel checks, 265 citations and warnings, and eight BUI arrests. Their efforts included extensive public outreach, media engagement, and responses to boating incidents. Beyond the weekend, District 21 has advanced statewide BUI enforcement through training initiatives and year-round patrols.

Presented to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Marine Enforcement Unit.

This year’s Southern Region Law Enforcement Award was given to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Marine Enforcement Unit. As part of the 2025 Operation Dry Water weekend, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Marine Enforcement Unit showcased exceptional commitment to boating safety and BUI enforcement on the Colorado River and Lake Havasu — two of the West Coast’s busiest waterways. The team conducted 120 enforcement stops, contacted more than 1,000 boaters, and made eight BUI arrests while emphasizing education through every interaction. Each officer is highly trained in field sobriety testing and dedicated to promoting safe boating practices. Beyond ODW, the unit provides year-round public outreach and BUI training to strengthen boating safety across the region.

Presented to the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office.