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In today's double-standards department…

Many Suburban Cops Allowed to Work "Half Drunk"

Chicago, IL.  Feb 15 — Do you think your police department has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol?

Think again.

Many suburban departments actually have clauses in their union contracts which prevent any kind of discipline for officers with substantial amounts of alcohol in their systems — even those nearing the state definition of legally drunk, an investigation by the Better Government Association and NBC Chicago reveals.

"I worry about it every day," said Sam Pulia, the mayor of west suburban Westchester.

Pulia, himself a former Westchester police officer, tried unsuccessfully to stop ratification of his department’s union contract which only allows discipline against officers when they hit an alcohol level of .05.

"I could argue that you are half drunk," Pulia said. "I still believe that police officers are held to a higher standard."

Pulia argues that no one with alcohol in their systems should be driving a squad car or carrying a gun… 

Westchester is not alone. Police in Forest Park, Glendale Heights, and South Barrington also have a limit of .05. In Elmwood Park and Oak Park, the limit is the state definition of legally drunk: .08 or higher.

"I think it places the city at great risk," said Walter Zalisko, a retired police chief who now runs Police Management Consultants International in Fort Myers, Fla. "Zero would be the wise choice, that you can’t have any alcohol."

But how much alcohol really is too much? Although the Illinois State Police and Cook County Sheriff have set their limits at zero, many police departments say they believe some low limits must be built in to allow for incidentals such as a glass of wine at dinner before the overnight shift or even a shot of cough medicine.

"People who are more used to drinking will have less impairment," said Dr. David Zich of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "However, we still believe in subtle testing, that there really is no safe level at which no impairment occurs."

Indeed, Zich says scores of studies have indicated that even at lower blood alcohol levels, some kind of impairment occurs — especially regarding drowsiness, tasks requiring divided attention, or "tracking" activities, which would include driving a car.

"Don't Drink and Drive"….unless you're a cop on duty and packing a gun.
 

DUI BLOG

A North Carolina State trooper was arrested in Hendersonville Monday morning for allegedly driving drunk while on duty. The Highway Patrol says that the trooper met with a sergeant in the parking lot outside Sam’s in Hendersonville Monday morning.

The trooper reportedly was in his squad as he talked with his supervisor, a sergeant with the Highway Patrol. During the encounter, the sergeant claims that the 37-year-old smelled of alcohol, had glassy eyes and was slurring his speech during the conversation.

Those types of allegations are common in drunk driving arrest reports in North Carolina. Generally, many people are aware that North Carolina sets the legal limit to drive at 0.08 percent blood alcohol level.

Regardless of a driver’s size, experience, or any other factor individual to the driver, the state presumes impairment at a 0.08 percent or greater BAC level. However, police reports may often include descriptions of an officer’s alleged observations of a driver to support their alleged suspicions and to show alleged indicia of impairment.

The Highway Patrol says that the sergeant suspected that his colleague may have been under the influence as the two spoke in the parking lot. Later, authorities claim that the trooper took a breath test, which registered a 0.08 percent BAC reading.

The trooper has been charged with DWI and is scheduled to appear in court March 21. The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that the trooper resigned from the law enforcement agency after the DWI arrest. The trooper had been with the force for seven years and had been assigned to the Hendersonville office since 2007.

Sources:

• WLOS, “On-Duty Trooper DWI in Patrol Car,” Feb. 6, 2013
• WBTV, “Trooper charged with DWI while on duty, resigns after arrest, troopers say,” Nick Needham, Feb. 7, 2013

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

A Durham, North Carolina, police officer has been charged with driving while impaired. The charge comes after a traffic accident occurred last week. The officer was driving his marked squad in the city of Durham shortly after 9:00 a.m. on Thursday. Law enforcement says the officer ran his squad car into the rear of a 1999 Ford while driving northbound on Fayetteville Avenue. The Ford had slowed down for a traffic light.

The officer reportedly said he tried to stop before the accident but was unable to do so. The officer sustained injuries in the crash and was treated at Duke Hospital. While at the hospital, the officer was charged with a North Carolina DWI offense. The driver of the Ford was not injured in the wreck.

The officer was also charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The accused was on duty when he allegedly was involved in the DUI related crash. After the charges arose, the officer was initially placed on administrative leave.

Beverly B. Thompson, a spokeswoman for the city of Durham says, however, that after the initial administrative leave the officer was “dismissed due to a violation of the substance abuse policy.” She says that the alleged DWI occurring while on duty “was a direct violation.

There is no word on what the officer’s blood alcohol level was at the time of the accident. The damage caused to each vehicle is estimated to be ,500 as a result of the rear end crash.

Source: News Observer, “Officer fired after on-duty accident,” Jim Wise, 4 Dec 2010

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm