Blawnox policeman receives 'Top Gun' award for DUI-related arrests

Blawnox police Officer Nickalas Hawk thwarted 28 people from driving drunk on borough roads in 2019.

For his efforts, Hawk was honored with a “Top Gun” award from the Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence Association.

He is among 21 officers throughout the state to be lauded for their work to remove drunk drivers from local streets.

“I have seen numerous DUI-related car accidents involving impaired drivers and the devastation they can inflict on the victims,” said Hawk, who was hired in 2018.

Founded in 1979, the DUI Association supports initiatives that target road safety. According to its website, there were 9,380 alcohol-related crashes in 2019, down from 9,811 in 2018.

Chief Patrick Goodman, who took over the Blawnox department in 2019, said he is proud of Hawk for his dedication to protecting the streets.

“We, all of us at the borough, are grateful for his efforts,” Goodman said.

Hawk said the work simply envelopes his overall mission of protecting residents.

“It keeps motorists and pedestrians safe while in the borough,” he said.

Hawk graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Police Academy in 2016, where he was trained in basic DUI enforcement.

He worked for a short time as a deputy sheriff in Forest County, where he was trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. Hawk also participated in the North Attorney General Division Drug Task Force which specialized in drug interdiction and enforcement.

“I learned a lot about impaired drivers both from drugs and alcohol during this time,” he said. “I am deeply honored to receive this award.”