Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo spoke out Wednesday after two officers were arrested within hours of each other in Williamson County.
On Monday, officers were called to an apartment complex on Colonial Parkway in Cedar Park, where they say they found Sgt. Robert Craig Martin surrounded by 36 cans of aerosol computer cleaner. Investigators say Martin was "huffing," or inhaling the canisters to get high.
This wasn't the first time Martin has been in trouble. He was also arrested by Kyle police on December 16 after someone claimed they saw him sniffing something from an aerosol can in a Lowes parking lot.
Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association, says constant stress and scrutiny can cause officers to fall prey to drugs and alcohol abuse. He also says that's no excuse for what Martin has been accused of doing.
"The problem is officers through their culture help people and very rarely no matter how hard you try, do they feel they need or deserve help themselves," Vincent said. "Make no mistake about it, it can be a career ending event."
Early Tuesday morning, just hours after Martin was arrested, APD Officer Lenny Quintana was arrested and accused of driving drunk, then crashing into a traffic circle at Saddle Blanket and Osage in Leander.
Quintana's arrest affidavit says he refused a breathalyzer and a blood draw.
The officer also says that Quintana's eyes were glassy and blood shot and that he failed a field sobriety test.
"It is an embarrassment; it's something we're not proud of," said Chief Acevedo. "But like I tell folks we're a reflection of the community that we serve; we're a reflection of society we don't grow officers in a little petri-dish and that sprout to be perfect humane beings."
APD has a psychologist on hand and numerous programs to help any officer who may face a substance abuse problem, and the chief says there's no excuse for officers to get out of control when it comes to drugs and alcohol.
In 2008, more than 200 officers took part in the employee assistance programs. In 2009, more than 600 turned to the program for help.
"We do care about our people, we care about our image, we care about our community," Acevedo said.
Chief Acevedo says in the past two and a half years, there have been approximately 10 officers cited for alcohol and drug abuse. He also says the department knew about Sgt. Martin's first arrest in December, and he's been off active duty ever since. Quintana is on restricted duty as well.
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