Officer Vernon Gibson Charged with Showing up to Work Drunk

A Pittsburgh police officer accused of showing up for work drunk waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday and will stand trial.

Authorities arrested officer Vernon Gibson on DUI charges in December after a sergeant claimed Gibson smelled of alcohol when he got to work.

Investigators said Gibson’s blood-alcohol level was well above the legal limit. He’s been on administrative leave since his arrest.

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Pittsburgh officer charged with DUI after arriving at work intoxicated

Investigation Determines Officer Jesus Cisneros was Drinking on Duty Before Crash

An internal investigation has determined that a Fort Worth police officer was drinking on duty before crashing a city vehicle and killing a mother of two.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram cited documents filed with the Civil Service Commission over the December incident.

The review found that Officer Jesus Cisneros drove to three bars and drank up to three beers in an unauthorized undercover detail before going off duty, drinking more and colliding with a vehicle driven by Sonia Baker.

The narcotics officer, charged with intoxication manslaughter, remains free on bail.

Cisneros resigned Dec. 21. Police on Feb. 18 took the additional step of suspending him indefinitely so the allegations would be included in his civil service record.

Cisneros attorney Jim Lane did not immediately comment.

Baker family attorney Mike Freden says the actions of Cisneros were "sickening."

Officer Jesus Cisneros Accused of Drunking While Still on Duty Before Crash

An off-duty Fort Worth police officer who officials say was drunk when he crashed his city vehicle into another car in December, killing a mother of two, had started drinking while still on duty, an internal investigation has found.

Jesus Cisneros drove his city vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, to three bars from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 and consumed up to three beers as part of an unauthorized undercover bar detail, according to documents filed with the Civil Service Commission.

Lt. Paul Henderson, a police spokesman, called Cisneros' actions a "gross violation of policy."

The documents say that after completing the bar detail, Cisneros, then off duty, drove to a birthday party at The Pour House, where he drank about four more beers and four shots of alcohol, according to surveillance video obtained from the bar by investigators.

About 2:25 the next morning, Cisneros was driving the Highlander west in the 3800 block of Columbus Trail at more than twice the posted speed limit when he collided with a PT Cruiser trying to turn in front of him, officials have said. The Cruiser's driver, Sonia Baker, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tests on blood taken soon after the wreck indicated that Cisneros had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.17, more than twice the legal limit.

Cisneros resigned Dec. 21. Police officials, however, took the additional step of suspending him indefinitely — tantamount to firing — so that the sustained allegations would be included in his civil service record, Henderson said.

The indefinite suspension took effect Feb. 18.

"Because he resigned, it closes any potential loophole for him being able to get his job back in Fort Worth," Henderson said.

The allegations

According to the documents, the investigation found four allegations against Cisneros: that he consumed alcohol on duty without necessary supervisory approval; that he drove a city vehicle off duty without authorization; that he was intoxicated while off duty; and that he drove a city vehicle while impaired and in such a manner that resulted in the fatal crash.

Cisneros, who remains free on bail, was charged Feb. 10 with intoxication manslaughter.

Jim Lane, Cisneros' attorney, was out of the office Wednesday and did not return a message left with his staff seeking comment.

Sonia Baker's widower, Mario Baker, referred questions Wednesday to the Noteboom law firm.

Mike Freden, one of the attorneys for Baker's family, said Cisneros' actions were "sickening."

"With each additional fact, his behavior is becoming more and more outrageous," Freden said. "It highlights that there were so many people along the way that could have stopped him from going out there and killing her. It's tragic. We're going to continue to go after every one we possibly can to get justice for Mario and his boys."

Henderson said an investigation of whether any other officers violated department policy while celebrating with Cisneros on the night of the crash is nearing its final stages.
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Deputy Brian Hillis Accused of DUI While on the Job

Shocking new information about a Fresno county Sheriff’s Deputy accused of driving under the influence while on the job.

A newly released incident report says Deputy Brian Hillis was driving on a suspended license.

The deputy’s suspension was based on him not paying child support.

The report also reveals that Deputy Hillis told a Fresno Police Officer he was taking a mixture of the prescription drug Klonopin, used to treat a variety of things from anxiety to bipolar disorder to seizures, and the over the counter anti histamine Benadryl.

Following his medical exam, it was determined Hillis was under the influence of both a depressant, and a stimulant.

Deputy Hillis is on paid administrative leave.

Officer James Breier Arrested for Being Drunk on the Job

A Toledo Police officer has been relieved from duty after a firefighter allegedly found him drunk on the job.

Police Chief Mike Navarre confirms that Officer James Breier was arrested Friday afternoon. Officers arrested him when they saw probable cause that he was intoxicated. He is still being paid while on leave.

The investigation is being handled by Internal Affairs.
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Officer Kendal Smith Arrested for Driving Patrol Car Impaired

A Holden Beach police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with driving his patrol car while impaired.

Kendal Roy Smith, a 42-year-old lieutenant with the Holden Beach Police Department, was arrested in Shallotte about 7 p.m. Thursday after pulling out of a parking lot at a high speed and out of control, according to the arrest report. Smith was driving a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car.

“The suspect was very impaired,” the report reads.

Smith, of 329 Paul’s Trail in Shallotte, has a court hearing scheduled on Aug. 6.

It wasn’t immediately clear what Smith’s status was with the Holden Beach Police. Chief Wally Layne has not yet returned a phone message seeking comment.

Reserve Officer Adam Goldstein Arrested for Being Drunk in Squad Car

A Lawrence Township school board member has been dismissed as a Fortville reserve police officer after driving a squad car in full uniform while allegedly drunk.

Adam Goldstein, 39, of Geist, an unpaid officer in training in Fortville, was charged with public intoxication at the Geist Marina early Sunday morning and later charged preliminarily with drunk driving, police and the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office said today.

Goldtstein and his wife, Karen, were stopped by an Indiana Department of Natural Resources officer while boating on the reservoir at 11 p.m. Saturday and cited for failing to have working navigational lights, said Conservation Officer Dave Dungan.

Apparently angry at the citation, Goldstein drove home, put on his police uniform and gun, then drove to the Fortville police station, where he took a squad car, Fortville Police Sgt. Derek Shelley said. No one else was at the station at the time.

He drove the car to the Geist Marina to confront the DNR officer who ticketed him, became unruly and was arrested for public intoxication, Shelley said.

Dungan said he gave Goldstein a breathalyzer test, which he failed, and he was later charged with drunk driving.

Goldstein was elected to his first term on the school board in 2008. He is also the former owner of Automotive Service Group in Lawrence. He began his reserve officer training Feb. 28 and was in the field training segment, in which he rode around with a full-time officer on patrol.

Training officers have keys to the squad cars, Shelley said.

Officer Gary Utter Accused of Crashing his Patrol Car While Drunk on Duty

A Springettsbury Township police officer accused of crashing his patrol car while drunk on duty was rejected from a probationary program, but his attorney is seeking to have the rejection overturned.

Gary D.S. Utter, a seven-year officer, was denied into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program -- a program for nonviolent, first-time offenders.

York County District Attorney Stan Rebert rejected Utter on Dec. 4 "based on the circumstances of the case," according to court records. Rebert did not elaborate in the court records and could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Utter, 37, of Stewartstown, was charged with driving under the influence by state police after crashing a 2005 Crown Victoria into a wall on the morning of Aug. 23 in the 2000 block of Mount Zion Road, less than a mile from the Springettsbury Township Police Station.

Utter's blood-alcohol level was 0.123 percent, according to a test taken at Memorial Hospital. The level at which a driver in Pennsylvania is considered drunk is 0.08 percent.

Utter's attorney, Harry Ness, filed a motion Dec. 30 appealing Rebert's decision to a York County Common Pleas Court judge.

Ness said Tuesday that Rebert's reason was vague, allowing people to "read between the lines" that Utter was denied because he was an on-duty police officer.

Based on the handling of the 1998 case of Robert Gano -- an off-duty state trooper charged with drunken driving -- Rebert knows he cannot treat Utter differently because he is a police officer, Ness said.

Rebert approved Gano for ARD, a decision later rejected by Judge John Chronister and subsequently overturned by the state Superior Court. The appeals court ruled police officers cannot be held to a higher standard.

"You can't treat someone differently because they are a cop. You can't treat one cop better than you treat another cop. Stan has no problem allowing cops into the program," Ness said.

As a first-time, nonviolent offender, Utter qualifies for ARD, Ness said. Utter has been through a 30-day inpatient treatment program -- more than he would get if convicted of DUI or admitted into ARD, he said.

And Utter was not drinking on duty but still had the aftereffects from the night before, he said.

"The program is for people who make a mistake for the first time," he said.

Utter is currently on a paid leave of absence. If convicted of DUI, Utter could lose his ability to serve as a police officer.

Ness said Utter's drinking was triggered by his July 2007 killing of Ronald T. Whitaker Sr., a prisoner in custody. Utter is named in a wrongful death civil suit filed by Whitaker's family, which is pending in federal court.

While being held for robbing a grocery store, Whitaker tried to hang himself with his shoelaces. Utter revived Whitaker, and Whitaker became violent. During the struggle, Whitaker grabbed Utter's nightstick and was going for Utter's gun when Utter shot him.

"That was brought it (the drinking) to a head for him," Ness said.

Rebert ruled the shooting was justified and cleared Utter in October 2007.

THE GANO CASE

In 1998, off-duty state police Trooper Robert Gano was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after crashing his car into several parked cars in Penn Township. He applied for and was approved to ARD by York County District Attorney Stan Rebert.

He was later accepted into ARD along with 43 other people by York County Judge John Chronister. After reading about Gano the next day in the paper, Chronister removed Gano from ARD, saying law-enforcement officers should be held to a higher standard than the average citizen.

Gano appealed. The Pennsylvania Superior Court held that Chronister was wrong and that police officers cannot be held to a higher standard.

Rebert has previously said that the Gano case is the legal standard.

"That's pretty much the ruling case. The Supreme Court said cops could be denied ARD if you are convicted of an infamous crime. But they cannot be held to a higher standard," he has said.


More Information: http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_11405833?source=most_viewed

Lieutenant Kenneth Parrish Charged with DUI for the 4th Time

A veteran Prince George's County police lieutenant was charged recently with driving under the influence of alcohol -- for the fourth time this year.

Two of the drunken driving charges against Lt. Kenneth W. Parrish were dropped by county prosecutors, one of them in a plea deal and the other when the arresting officer failed to appear for a court hearing.

Parrish, 44, was suspended with pay in February after he was charged with driving under the influence while operating a county police cruiser off-duty in Laurel. Acting county Police Chief Roberto Hylton said that police officials take Parrish's conduct seriously and that internal investigations are continuing.

"We understand this is a public safety issue," Hylton said.

In the most recent incident, Parrish was arrested Friday when Montgomery County police found him asleep behind the wheel of his Cadillac Escalade near a gas pump in Silver Spring, with the car in drive and his foot on the brake pedal, according to a charging document.

A breath test showed that Parrish had a blood-alcohol level more than three times the legal limit for driving under the influence, the document says. Parrish was unable to stand on his own and admitted to drinking a half-pint of vodka that morning, the document says.

Efforts to reach Parrish this week were unsuccessful. A lawyer who represented him in some of the previous cases did not return a phone call. The president of the county police union said fellow officers have been attempting in recent days to reach Parrish, without success.

Hylton said Parrish, a 20-year member of the police force, had an exemplary record before the recent arrests. Hylton said Parrish has had a difficult year, struggling with the death of his mother and the breakup of his marriage, events that the chief said prompted the lieutenant to drink excessively.

"He's taken a downward spiral," Hylton said. "Everybody's shocked."

Under the auspices of the police department's employee assistance program, Parrish has been treated for alcohol dependence, and police officials and the police union are trying to reach out to the lieutenant to offer support, Hylton said.

"We are not giving up," Hylton said. "We have offered all sorts of help and counseling. We are going to continue to reach out to him."

Parrish is assigned to the 6th District in Beltsville. If the internal investigations into the four incidents find no wrongdoing, Parrish would still have to be cleared by a departmental medical board before he could return to duty.

Regarding the two drunken driving charges in Prince George's that were dismissed by prosecutors, State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said in a statement that Parrish "has not received any special treatment because of his status on the police force."

Shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday, Montgomery police were summoned to a Sunoco gas station in the 14000 block of Georgia Avenue. A paramedic tried repeatedly to wake Parrish, who was in the driver's seat, according to the charging document. Eventually, the paramedic shifted the car into park, and a police sergeant took the keys out of the ignition, the document says.

Parrish's speech was slurred and his breath smelled of alcohol, according to the charging document. An initial breath test indicated that Parrish had a blood-alcohol level of 0.29, and a second breath test, administered at a police station, indicated a blood-alcohol level of 0.24.

In addition to driving under the influence, Parrish was charged with driving with a suspended license. He is scheduled to be tried in March, according to court records.

On Feb. 13, in Laurel, Parrish was charged with leaving his vehicle -- a county police cruiser -- in an intersection and with driving while impaired by alcohol. The charges were dropped when the arresting officer did not appear for court.

Laurel police officer Mark Schmidt, who made the arrest, was not aware of the court hearing until after he had missed it, Laurel police spokesman Jimmy Collins said.

Collins said the paperwork alerting Schmidt to the hearing was sent to the Laurel police station on a Saturday for a Monday court date. Schmidt was not in the office and did not get the paperwork until Tuesday, he said.

On July 27, also in Laurel, Parrish was charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and other traffic offenses.

He pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended license and was fined $142.50, according to court records. The other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

On Sept. 9, also in Laurel, Parrish was charged with driving under the influence and failing to stop after a motor vehicle accident. That case is scheduled to go to trial in February.

Officer Jim Crowley Charged with Reporting to Work Drunk

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo.

An arraignment hearing has been rescheduled for next month for a former Aspen police officer accused of reporting to work drunk.

Forty-three-year-old Jim Crowley had been expected in Garfield County Court Thursday, but the arraignment was reset for Jan. 15. No reason was given for the delay.

Crowley was an 18-year veteran of the Aspen Police Department when he was arrested Aug. 28 on suspicion of driving while ability-impaired and prohibited use of a weapon.

Police Chief Richard Pryor fired Crowley the next day.

Attorney Lawson Willis, who has provided legal advice to Crowley as a friend, has said Crowley told him he went to work with a hangover.

The case was moved to Garfield County after a Pitkin County judge disqualified herself.

Chief Ronald Lee and Officer Matthew Pruegert Accused of Drunk Driving on the Job

Okay, Oklahoma

An area sheriff's department is now in control of a town that fired its police department.

The police chief and officer were let go for allegedly being drunk on the job. The allegations are being made in Okay, in Wagoner County, about 40 miles east-southeast of Tulsa.

The small town of about six hundred residents is still trying to come to grips with it all. With a new scandal and two vacant positions, will the town recover?

Elden McCullough says he isn't surprised Okay is in the headlines again.

"I got a call at 12:30 the night before from a lady who said they're down at the EZ Mart and they're drunk."

A few minutes later, McCullough says he got another call.

"Some lady said they're drunk down here, they're in the police car."

The call was about Okay officer Matthew Pruegert, who was later arrested on a complaint of driving under the influence. The arrest was made by a Wagoner police officer who said he observed a strong odor of alcohol.

It's also alleged that Okay Police Chief Ronald Lee was observed intoxicated back at the police station by a town board member.

"When we went into executive session, that's all I can tell you, she said 'yes, he was drunk'. He said he wasn't. She said yes. It was a 5 to nothing vote."

And, with that, the police chief and officer were both let go.

Residents we spoke with say they're shocked.

"I wouldn't feel safe with them being drunk on duty," says Brock Moore. "What they do on their own times, that's their business. When you're at work, no."

The next town board meeting is next Tuesday. Members could then decide what to do about the police department.

Const. Kevin Duignan Charged with Impaired Driving

Blood tests, which Crown witnesses said were taken from Const. Kevin Duignan, showed an alcohol value of more than three times the legal limit, court heard yesterday.

The Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg heard testimony from hospital staff as part of a voir dire (a trial within a trial) that will determine whether evidence collected at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre can be used against Duignan, a Peterborough County OPP officer.

Mr. Justice Rommel Masse, sitting as judge alone, will have to decide whether the evidence is admissible.

Defence lawyer Leo Kinahan was expected to argue the evidence should not be admissible because Duignan enjoys protection under the province's Personal Health Information Protection Act.

But as the voir dire unfolded yesterday, Kinahan told the court he might have to shift strategies to argue the hospital evidence infringes his client's Charter rights.

Duignan, 50, was charged April 2, 2007 with impaired driving and having care and control of a vehicle with more than the legal amount of alcohol in his blood.

The charge came after Duignan's police cruiser was involved in a single- vehicle collision on Highway 28 south of Burleigh Falls in the early morning hours of March 29, 2007.

Duignan, who was on duty and in uniform at the time, was taken to PRHC where his blood was drawn, court heard.

Hospital lab technologist Pat Surman analyzed Duignan's blood, she testified, finding an alcohol value of 55 millimoles of alcohol per one litre of blood. The legal limit in Canada is about 17.3 millimoles of alcohol per one litre of blood.

Registered nurse Allyson Langworth was working in the emergency room the morning Duignan was brought to the hospital, court heard.

She said the officer was "belligerent" and uncooperative with staff.

Several Tucson Officers Lose Certification to Work

A former Tucson police sergeant accused of drinking and gambling on the job lost his certification to work as a peace officer in Arizona Wednesday.

Robert Lund worked for the Tucson Police Department for more than 20 years before retiring in March.

The incident occurred Jan. 29 when someone called 911 to report a possibly impaired driver near South Harrison Road and East 22nd Street.

Officers found a 1999 Ford Taurus — an unmarked city police car — in a parking lot on the corner, police said at the time.

Lund was asked to give breath samples because officers believed he was intoxicated. The tests yielded blood-alcohol levels of 0.202 and 0.183, far exceeding the DUI level of 0.08. He was arrested on a variety of DUI charges, including extreme DUI.
An internal-affairs investigation determined Lund drank beer at the beginning of his shift and later on in the day while he was gambling on dog races.

Lund also admitted to drinking a bottle of tequila while on duty in his unmarked police car, the documents say.

Octavio Garcia — a former Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputy — also lost his certification due to a conviction for attempting to smuggle an illegal immigrant into the country.

He worked for the Sheriff's Office from January 2004 until October 2007 when he was fired.

The incident occurred Sept. 25, 2007, when a Mexican man who was riding in Garcia's truck applied for entry into the country at the Nogales port of entry.

Customs and Border Protections officers suspected that the man might have been trying to enter the country illegally, so he was referred for more questioning, according to court documents.

The man admitted that he had no documents to come into the U.S. and that a friend made arrangements for him to be smuggled, court documents show.

He was picked up at a casino near the border by Garcia, who told him to tell officers at the port of entry that he and Garcia were friends and had known each other for two months.

Garcia was indicted on charges of attempted transportation of an illegal immigrant for profit and bringing in an illegal for profit.

He took a plea deal and was sentenced to three years' probation.

The board on Wednesday also voted to initiate proceedings for a former Tucson police officer accused of lying on his application when he didn't disclose information about his connection to a homicide that occurred more than a decade ago.

Frank A. Soto was fired from the Tucson Police Department in October 2007 after working for the agency for three years.

The accusation surfaced in 2005 when a Tucson police sergeant working an off-duty job recognized Soto and recalled that in 1995 he had been implicated in a gang-related drive-by shooting, according to the documents.

One gang member was killed and another was wounded. Soto was not arrested, but one of his passengers was, documents show.

When Soto applied at the Tucson Police Department, he did not answer truthfully about his involvement in serious crimes.

The following questions were asked on the TPD pre-employment questionnaire:

● Did you ever accompany any person who committed any serious crime?
● Have you ever done anything, that if found out, would embarrass this department?
● Has a police officer, detective or any other law enforcement ever questioned you about any incident (whether as a witness, victim, suspect, or arrestee), even an incident for which you were not charged or arrested?
● Have you ever committed or been present during the commission of any criminal offense other than those disclosed in response to prior questions, whether or not detected or reported?

To all of the questions, Soto responded "No."

The sergeant who recognized Soto from the homicide reported his concerns to a supervisor that Soto was a Tucson police officer given his past association with the Brown Mexican Pride gang.

The report made by the sergeant was not acted upon until approximately two years later in 2007.

Upon being confronted, Soto admitted that he should have been truthful to questions regarding his presence in past criminal activity and gang associations, the documents state. However, because he was not accused or charged with a crime, Soto thought it was not relevant.

He was fired for being untruthful, the documents said. He appealed the termination, but it was upheld.He has since re-enlisted in the Army, documents show.

Also under scrutiny is former Pima County Attorney investigator Cecilia I. Sene, who worked for the office for only three months before she resigned, according to Arizona Peace Officer and Standards Training Board documents.

Her resignation stemmed from an Aug. 27, 2006 incident, when Sene was seen drinking a bottle of beer in a vehicle in the parking lot of a local casino, documents state.
When she was approached, Sene became belligerent toward security and responding police officers.

She was arrested on charges of impersonating a public servant and consuming spirituous liquor in a public place after she refused to show identification and identify herself as a police officer, documents say.

The case was turned over to the Pima County Attorney's Office but was sent to the Tucson Municipal Court due to conflict of interest, documents say.

She entered a diversion program and was ordered to attend counseling. Upon completion, the charges were dismissed.

As a result of her actions, Sene was informed that she would be failing her initial probationary period at the Pima County Attorney's Office.

Since then, Sene was arrested again in July on a disorderly conduct charge for a fight with two women at Coach's Bar in Sahuarita.

Sene reportedly was bumping into people on the dance floor and used her purse to strike two women. She also reportedly choked one of them.

The women declined to press charges.

Sene entered into another diversion program in August and if completed, would have the charges dismissed.

Warrant Officer Suspened for Drinking on the Job

A part-time warrant officer in Bethany, Oklahoma, has been suspended on suspicion of drinking on the job.

According to police reports, another officer smelled alcohol on the man's breath while he was booking a prisoner. A supervisor was told and sent the officer home. Police said the warrant officer has been suspended.

No charges were filed.

Officer Jim Crowley Arrested for Being Drunk While on Duty

The Aspen police chief is defending his decision to fire an officer accused of reporting to work drunk, but an attorney helping the officer says he had a hangover and hadn't been drinking immediately before going on duty.

Jim Crowley, an 18-year veteran of the Aspen force, was dismissed last week and arrested on suspicion of driving while ability-impaired and prohibited use of a weapon.

Police say Crowley smelled of alcohol when he reported on Aug. 28, and a breath test showed his blood-alcohol level at .063, above the 0.05 threshold for driving impaired. Another officer drove him home, where he was arrested later by police from nearby Snowmass Village, who were asked to take over the case.

"I know the question on some people's minds is this was a drastic action," Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor said Tuesday. "But the distinction for me is this was behavior that is not acceptable. This was a safety issue and not something I could live with. And I've consulted with our attorney, and I believe we're on solid ground and ethical ground."

Pryor said the weapons charge was filed because Crowley had a firearm in his holster at the time he was allegedly intoxicated.

Pitkin County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Cheney said no decision had been made on whether to proceed with a criminal case.

Attorney Lawson Wills, who said he is providing legal advice to Crowley as a friend, said Crowley told him he went to work with a hangover.

"This is not a situation where he was drinking before work," he said.

Wills questioned the ability-impaired charge because, he said, no one witnessed Crowley driving to work.

Wills said he will not be Crowley's attorney in any court proceedings.

Fort Worth cop Clinton Wyatt arrested for drunk driving

A Fort Worth police officer allegedly found passed out behind the wheel of his marked patrol vehicle at a Burleson intersection was arrested Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Clinton Wyatt, who was off-duty at the time of the 3:49 a.m. arrest, refused to take a Breathalyzer test, said Chris Havens, public information officer for the Burleson Police Department.

Wyatt, 32, was transported to the Burleson jail and released at 9:58 a.m. Sunday after posting a $1,000 bond, Havens said.

Wyatt began working with the department in January 2003 and has no history of similar incidents on his record, said Lt. Paul Henderson, Fort Worth police spokesman.

“He is on restricted duty and was stripped of his gun and his badge [pending the investigation’s outcome],” Henderson said.

Wyatt, who had been off-duty for more than nine hours before his arrest, was apparently on his way home in his patrol car when Burleson officer Brad Schaefer saw him asleep behind the wheel in the 100 block of N.W. Burleson Boulevard at the Renfro Street intersection.

Havens said the case will be taken to the Johnson County district attorney’s office for further action.

The Fort Worth Police Department’s internal affairs division is investigating the case, according to a press release, and Wyatt’s whereabouts between 6 p.m. Saturday, the time his shift ended, and the time of his arrest are under investigation.

Hornell, New York Police Officer Mark Mahoney charged with being an idiot

Hornell Police Officer Mark Mahoney has been charged with drunk driving...Setting an fine example for his community on how to conduct themselves. This veteran officer was found unconscious in his car on Maple City Drive in Hornell. Now that is some good old fashion drinking there. I wonder how many it took to bring this big guy down to the point where he left his car parked in the middle of the road?

It was around 11:30 Friday night, when another driver spotted the officer in the middle of the street and called 911. When his buddies arrived to help him out, Sergeant Mahoney was so intoxicated that he had to be taken to the local hospital for treatment.

Sergeant Mahoney was off duty when the incident occurred. Which is okay, BUT...you have to do what the rest of society has to do...GO TO JAIL...GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL...DO NOT LET YOUR BUDDIES ESCORT YOU HOME. Instead, he was issued a ticket to appear in court.

Currently the police Chief has decided not to fire this fine upstanding officer, but instead let him stay on at full pay, and is allowed to go out and arrest other offenders of this same crime. The Chief and the Mayor say they plan to meet and discuss disciplinary action.

All of us at one time or the other have wanted to drink our ‘sorrows’ away, but the LAW says if we want to get that drunk, we have to do it in the privacy of our own home. Sergeant Mahoney should be held to these same standards.

Policeman admits to drinking 18 beers and being on duty

A POLICE officer who admitted to drinking at least 18 beers before going on duty to carry out a breath test has not been disciplined.

Instead, Senior-Constable Adam Reedy has been promoted – despite telling a court last month about a wild night in Cunnamulla that ended with him knocked unconscious after trying to arrest a woman.

Reedy was at the Warrego Hotel about 10pm on May 14, 2005, when asked by colleagues to carry out a breath test.

After the test he drank two rums at the Club Hotel and about 12.45am declared himself on duty to arrest local woman Corrinne Mitchell, who he says spat on him, sparking a fight that ended in Reedy being flown to Toowoomba Hospital for treatment.

Three people pleaded guilty to charges over the incident but five others fought the charges, which were dropped last month when a judge ruled Reedy's evidence unreliable.

A police spokesman said the matter was being reviewed but "at this time the Queensland Police Service has not received any complaint about the matter".

Reedy, who is now a plainclothes detective in Cairns, admitted in the District Court in Charleville to drinking about two mid-strength beers per hour between 10am and 6pm while off-duty at a golf function.

From there, the then-constable went to a barbecue where he continued to consume alcohol, before moving on to the Warrego Hotel about 10pm.

In court, defence barrister Phil Hardcastle asked Reedy: "Now how many drinks did you have at the Warrego before you went back on duty to do this breath test?"

"Mate, it was just one drink all up," Reedy replied.

Mr Hardcastle says: "Then you drop into the Club Hotel. You have two rum and Cokes and you're called away by Senior Constable Lahey?"

"Yep," Reedy replies.

An attempt by Constable Lahey to take Reedy home failed – he returned instead to the Club Hotel where he was later assaulted by a group of people after he put himself back on duty and tried to arrest Ms Mitchell.

In court, Crown witnesses backed the defendants' claim that Reedy had directed racial comments at Aborigines in a bar and then dragged Ms Mitchell by her hair, pulling clumps out.

Reedy denied the claims.

A statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions states the charge of grievous bodily harm against Ms Mitchell and four others was thrown out because "the judge concluded that it would be unsafe to rely on the complainant's memory to establish guilt beyond doubt".

"The reasons for this were that the complainant had consumed a large amount of alcohol before the injuries were inflicted . . . and he had been knocked unconscious in the attack."

A police spokesman admitted a driver had been charged over the earlier breath test performed by Reedy.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman said the public had the right to have their breath tests carried out by officers who were not affected by alcohol.

QPS policy states officers who have a blood alcohol content above .02 face disciplinary action.

Mr O'Gorman called for a Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry into the police handling of the matter.

A police spokesman said Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson and Reedy were unavailable for comment.