Anyone that has been pulled over by an officer for suspected DUI will likely agree that it is one of the most embarrassing moments in their lifetime. To add insult to injury, some officers involved may even be slightly condescending or perhaps a bit belittling to those they pull over. While it is their job to keep the roads safe, they are human too. If anyone in law enforcement needs a reminder of that fact, they should look no further than Pinellas County where their highest DUI arresting officer recently showed up to a MADD conference noticeably intoxicated.
A Pinellas County officer was due to receive an award from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization for arresting over 100 suspected drunk drivers in the most populated county in Florida. When he showed up to the awards ceremony, witnesses say he was “staggeringly” drunk. He was later found in a hotel hallway in nothing but his underwear. When confronted about his obvious intoxication, the officer responded with rude and disrespectful comments to a chief of police from another department.
The officer, who was on duty at the time, was seen putting a bottle of whiskey in his patrol car before leaving for the conference. Despite the department’s knowledge of this and the officer’s behavior at the conference, the officer was suspended from work for only one day.
Because the officer was on duty when this incident took place, the question is did the officer normally drink on duty, and if so, how any of his DUI arrests could be considered valid or even enforceable in court. For individuals looking for help with their DUI case, license suspension or revocation, speaking to a skilled DUI attorney may help.
Source: Infotainmentnews.com, “Officer Shows Up Drunk To MADD Conference,” Nov. 23, 2015
