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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday March 22, 2006 - 3 Police duo aims to energize MADD Halton By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Halton-Peel has received a much-needed boost with the appointment of two police officers as president and vice-president. Toronto Police Sgt. Larry Zimmerman, a life long Burlington resident and a married father of five, now heads up the agency. Halton Regional Police Const. Andy Dennis, a married father of one also living in Burlington, is his right hand. Together, they' ve seen the impaired driving issue from the streets to the courtrooms and armed with this experience - some of it eyeopening, much of it tragic - the chapter can't help but benefit. After all, MADD Halton-Peel has been strug gling against financial pressures and a dearth of volunteers and has had difficulty delivering all the programs and services that staff feel the community deserves. It needs money and volunteers if it is to sur vive as an effective defense against the horrors of impaired driving - not an easy task, considering the chapter serves two regions with a combined population of roughly 1.6 million people. As a result, both Zimmerman and Dennis say that, in addition to continuing to get the anti drunk driving message out to the public, their immediate focus will be on attracting board members and volunteers, plus raising funds so the chapter can carry out its mandate. Both officers have simply s$en too much not' to try: twisted wreckage, shattered lives and a court system that is often too lenient consider ing the horrific damage involved. Both men have also heard every excuse in the book and LI^SA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER MADD MISSION: MADD Halton recently introduced its new executive members, President Larry Zimmerman (right) and Vice-President Andy Dennis. wish they could get across to every driver that offenders - who don't appear to be getting the being drunk and being impaired are not the message. "Drinking is social," said Zimmerman, who same thing. Both are chargeable offenses. "No one thinks they're drunk, but even if you makes it clear that MADD members are not pro don't blow over 80, you can still be impaired," hibitionists. "Drunk driving is criminal." The sad part, says Dennis, is that drunk driv said Dennis, adding that marijuana is another growing problem affecting the safe operation of ing is entirely preventable. In the meantime, he vehicles. "That' s a new one ... that makes reac explained, police officers will continue to make the dreaded knock on the door to telHamilies a tion time slower." Another sore spot with Zimmerman is that loved one is either injured or dead. "That' s the hardest thing to do," said Dennis. some judges don't take impaired driving as seri s no good way to do it." ously as they should, especially when no one has "There' Both he and Zimmerman recall stories of been injured and they see it as a "victimless ·attending collision scenes and smelling the alco crime." Another area of concern involves drivers in hol-tainted blood amidst the crushed metal. the 30 to 45 year old age group - the worst They have also attended autopsies of people who are literally dead drunk and smelled the booze. "As soon as they cut the chest open, boom," said Dennis. Zimmerman was born in Hamilton, but since then has resided in Burlington. (He attended Lord Elgin, now Robert Bateman, High School.) He joined the Toronto Police Service in 1986 and spent 12 years on patrol in Regent Park. His time with the traffic unit including his work as a Level 3 reconstruction ist - really opened his eyes to the impacts of drunk driving. Zimmerman joined MADD Halton-Peel in June 2005 after reading about the agency' s dire need for board members and volunteers. Dennis is originally from Toronto and joined that city's police service in 1998. After a stint with 14 Division and traffic services - also earn ing his Level 2 reconstructionist designation he joined Halton Regional Police in 2002. N Dennis decided to join MADD last year for several reasons: his wife' s friend was killed by a drunk driver in Calgary and in his role as police officer he' s laid far too many drunk driving and impaired charges - with no end in sight. "Complacency is a huge problem," he said. "People have to step up. It' s a great organiza tion." Also welcome are high school students who can apply time spent with MADD to their com munity service hours. 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