D.W.I. and cops. Why is this a job issue????

[Mr.G23]

Until now, officers arrested for driving while intoxicated have been kept on
restricted duty until the criminal charge was adjudicated, a process that
sometimes takes years. Under current policies, drunk-driving convictions that
do not involve injuries usually result in suspensions and the loss of vacation
time.

Mayor Giuliani defended the new hard-line. “That probably should have been the
rule from the very beginning,” he said. “You have to leave a little margin for
discretion. But let’s say the general rule for the Police Department should be
that if you get found to have been driving drunk, you should be dismissed from
the Police Department.”

I TRIED TO PUT THIS IN QUOTE'S BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK.. OK, MY QUESTION IS WHY SHOULD AN OFFICER, OR ANYONE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT LOSE THEIR JOB IF THEY GET A D.W.I.? I MEAN IN ALMOST ANY OTHER PROFESSION, THIS WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR JOB. IF I WAS A STOCKBROKER, FIANCIAL ANAYLYST..ETC AND I WENT OUT GOT SMASHED, AND TOTALED MY CAR AND RECIEVED A D.W.I I WOULD STILL HAVE MY JOB THE NEXT DAY!! BUT IF YOUR A LEO, YOUR JOB IS IN GREAT JEOPARDY!!

IN NO WAY I'M I TRYING TO PROMOTE DRINKING AND DRIVING, OR ENCOURAGING LEO'S TO DRINK, AND DRIVE I JUST WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, AS TO WHY EQUAL TREATMENT ISN'T GIVEN TO LEO'S UNDER THIS MATTER!!!! WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THIS!

[RachelR]

Well, the same as with screening for crimes before you get hired. I guess the thinking behind this is how are you to enforce the law when you, yourself, cannot follow it?

[SGT Dave]

Raychel’s post sums it up, and I don't have the time or need to expound, other than to state that whether people agree with it or not, we ARE expected to live to a higher standard (I do concede that there is a movement of officers who are not capable of this and will argue the LEGALITIES and TECHNICALITIES of this, but the statement AS WRITTEN is true.)

Also, In NC, you lose your license for DWI. No OL-no driving police cars (duh...) Even an ARREST means a 30 day revocation, no if's and’s, or but’s. Then after conviction, you lose them for one year.

Every department doesn't necessarily have 73 divisions of different people, that some of whom don't drive in the course of their duties. Every officer in this county, short of jailers and dispatchers have to drive in accordance with their duties. (I have heard of a volunteer fireman in an adjoining county that lost his license, and his wife drove him to calls, red light and all! )

G23, I don't mean this as a "slam", but admittedly we post some hypothetical questions for discussion from time to time, but this one is almost a no-brainer.

[Mr.G23]

YES..YES..I KNOW THIS IS DEFINETLY A NO BRAINER INDEED. I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME INSIGHT FROM OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THIS SITUATION, AND SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE. I COMPLETELY KNOW WHY THIS IS THE CASE AND AGREE WITH IT. THIS TOPIC CAME UP IN MY CRIME, AND ETHICS CLASS THE OTHER DAY, AND THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THIS, SO I WANTED TO SEE FROM A LEO'S STANDPOINT, WHAT THEY ALL THOUGHT!

[ 02-02-2002: Message edited by: Mr.G23 ]

[WHC166]

As the slogan reads..."You drink, you drive, you lose!".

[txinvestigator1]

Mr G23

Please turn off your caps. It is considered "shouting" and most people find it hard to read.

[Mr.G23]

Sorry about that. I got it under control now!!!

[207]

Raychel & Dave's posts answer your question and I would just add that the same holds true for incidents involving dometic violence. Accused of = No job.

[Guard Dog]

The Supreme Court Justice of the State of Illinois caught DUI and gave the cop a very hard time. Nearly to the point of an assult. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?? etc etc. Then he refused to blow. He had several other documented cases of disobedience to police officers. It was a big media circus.

During that media circus it was brought out that a police Officer would have lost his job, but here the one of the chief jurist in the State was acting above the law.

We had an officer off duty get in an accident. The ER room Nurse knew he was a cop and dropped a dime saying that he was being given a pass by the cops handling it. Long story short, the hospital lab reports were subpoenaed and he lost his job. The Union fought it and the termination was upheld in court. We [b]ARE[/] held to a higher standard. I am not saying it is bad since we do have the eyes of the public watching us and looking for anything to attack...but it is fact.

[JKT]

My answer to the original question: Same as Raychel's and Sgt Dave's. I just don't see how you can intentionally break the laws you are sworn to uphold.

[jellybean40]

Originally posted by 207:
Raychel & Dave's posts answer your question and I would just add that the same holds true for incidents involving dometic violence. Accused of = No job.

That is good if that's the way it is where you are; i know of other cases where officers have actually been protected and never charged.

[Watchman]

The POLICE arent the only ones that are held to a higher "standard".

Yall think you got it tough.
Consider this...because I work at a Nuclear Plant...

If I get arrested for DWI, I must notify the Security force within 24 hours of my arrest.
They will notify my supervisor, who will then place me on "Escorted Status" meaning that I lose my security clearance and must have an escort to go with me to every single spot I go to ,even the John. The NRC will be notified of my status. Usually ,one will be placed on administrative leave for 2-3 days while a meeting is held to determine my "status". If the case goes to trial, I may remain on escorted status until Im either found guilty or not guilty. If found not guilty, I have my security clearnce reinstated. If guilty, depending on the severity of the crime, I must attend counciling sessions at an approved site that deals with DWI and drug rehab. It usually takes about 6 weeks. During this time, I am subject to urinalisis and if found positive, my employment with the company will be terminated immediatley. I will tested once a week for a year, and subject to a random test at any time. Even failure to notify security within 24 hours of ANY arrest for any reason is grounds for termination. People can and do get fired for this.

Personally , I think that its a bunch of BS. What I do on my own time should be of no concern to my employer. Technically, since I'm on 24 hour callout status,if I drink ONE beer and get called in, I am not supposed to show up for 5 hours after my last drink.
If I show up to work, and a guard notices that I smell like a beer, he is suppose to deny me access. That happens to be an NRC reportable infraction, and that tends to really **** managment of when they have to notify the NRC of anything. We have had people get time off without pay because they were arrested for going 20 miles over and driving on an expired registration and they either forgot to notify security, or they thought it was too trivial too mess with.

We also have a clause that says something like any conduct that is detrimental to the reputation of the company is grounds for dissmisal. An example; a reactor operator got blitzed at a private party and started a disturbance that the cops resoponded to. Because he was fairly high up and made a nuisance of himself he came very close to losing his job over it. Some people will argue that its neccesary for the "good of the public". I say they take this crap way too far. We are slowly losing some of our freedoms in the name of public saftey.

Its a good thing that I dont drink.

[PeteBroccolo]

If a Regular Member (Peace Officer) of the RCMP is convicted for Impaired Driving, Driving While Blood-Alcohol-Concentration Exceeds 80 mgs (whether or not someone is hurt or killed) or Refusal to Submit to Breath or Blood Samples (to determine B.A.C.) they can be dismissed because this is a major breach of the Code of Conduct.

LEO/PO **MUST** be held to a higher standard, or the public will lose confidence in the Justice system in general, and Law Enforcement Officers/Peace Officers in particular.

[PtlmZ_72]

I can't agree more with Pete, you are the symbol of justice to the public, if you were charged with a DUI how can you arrest someone for it without becoming a hypocrite. The public will loses faith in you and respect for you will fall flat. Is it right, I can't say, but that's the way the cards fall. Similar incidents have happened around here and it turned into a media circus for those depts. It just proves, on duty or off you're still a cop.

[Joseph]

I have to agree with Ray on this one you are sworn to uphold the law not break them. An incident happened here in New Orleans where the commander of the Gulfport,Ms DWI unit ran into the rear of of a stopped marked New Orleans Police Unit. The unit was on a routine traffic stop on the shoulder of the I-10 and was rear ended.The officer in this case immediately resigned and was charged. He was going back home which was approximately 60 miles away. He blew a 2.0. Both officers are totally diabled and one nearly died.