Seaside Heights Police Officer Christopher Linnell was presented with the 2018 Fallen Ocean Gate Officer Jason Marles DWI Award on Saturday night at First Energy Park in Lakewood, where he also threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The award is named after Ocean Gate Police Officer Jason Marles who tragically lost his life on his way home from work on November 25, 2010 (Thanksgiving that year) on the Garden State Parkway after just finishing up a DWI enforcement grant.

He was killed by a man alleged to be under the influence of alcohol.

The award presented to officers on the force since honors Officer Jason Marles' memory and recognizes the hard work of an Ocean County police officer that demonstrates a strong commitment towards the effort to stop drinking and driving, according to the Ocean County Traffic Safety Officers Association.

Officer Linnell received this year's honor after leading the Seaside Heights Police Department in drunk driving arrests for the past several years and has been an officer who is very active in the field of traffic safety.

In addition to completing several traffic safety classes, he is also a member of the Ocean County Fatal Accident Support Team, and is a Drug Recognition Expert.

This is not the first award to be added to his mantle.

Linnell had previously been awarded the Kimberly Smith Ames DWI Prevention Award in 2017 and has been the recipient of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Here are the other nominees for this years award who also deserve a round of applause for all that they do to keep our Jersey Shore streets safe.

  • Officer Michael Guarino Manchester Police Department
  • Class II Special Officer Kyle Patrick Point Pleasant Beach Police Department
  • Officer Marc Povlosky Stafford Township Police Department
  • Officer Ernest Thomason Jackson Township Police Department

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