Colorado State Patrol names the Trooper of the Year

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado State Patrol (CSP) announces that Dennis Guffey has been named Trooper of the Year for 2025.

CSP says that Guffey, who is based out of the Fruita Troop Office in Mesa County, "consistently demonstrated outstanding work performance, initiative, and leadership. His nomination highlighted his service and leadership in support of this honor."

Officials highlight how, in 2025, Guffey accomplished the following:

• While serving as a Sergeant First Class in the Army Reserves, he completed his doctoral degree in Criminal Justice.
• Taught at Colorado Mesa University Tech Police Academy for their Standardized Field Sobriety Test Class
• Taught at Colorado State Patrol Academy for the Evidential Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) class.
• Help to proactively remove 82 impaired drivers from the roadways and arrest another 14 impaired drivers from crashes for a total of 96 impaired driving arrests.
• Had the highest number of impaired driving arrests made by an individual Trooper for CSP.
• Participated in two ‘shop with a cop’ events over the holiday season and participated in the Tip a Cop event to benefit Colorado Special Olympics.

CSP says Guffey is a dedicated member and is vital to ongoing efforts to increase traffic safety in Mesa and Garfield.

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