The Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council recently suspended a longtime police officer for drunk driving. The board is tasked with disciplining police officers and corrections officials throughout the state.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a 16-year Salt Lake Police Department veteran was arrested one year ago for drunk driving. The officer said that he was upset by the deaths of some of his coworkers which is why he was out drinking on the night that he was arrested.
The 42-year-old officer pleaded guilty in Murray Justice Court to a misdemeanor charge of impaired driving and received one year of probation, a fine, and 48 hours of community service.
This case highlights that fact that there are often many consequences beyond the criminal ramifications of a drunk driving arrest. In this case the officer was suspended from his job for a year. The suspension was retroactive to when he resigned from his job at the SLC police department, so he could start working this summer if any police department will hire him.
The disciplinary board also suspended another police officer for one year on another DUI charge. The officer was not employed by any police force at the time of her DUI arrest in July according to media reports.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, “Former SLC cop who drove drunk gets one-year suspension,” Nate Carlisle, Mar. 29, 2013