On February 22, news outlets across the state reported that two Boulder police officers, both of whom had been charged with DUI infractions, had resigned from the department. The officers, a 46-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, were arrested in December and November of 2012, respectively.
Daily Camera indicated that an internal investigation into the alcohol-related traffic crimes recommended that both suspects, who had a combined 20 years of experience in the field, be terminated. However, each officer resigned before this decision could be carried out.
“Anytime one of our members gets arrested for any violation we’re disappointed,” Mark Beckner, chief of the Boulder Police Department, said in an announcement. “It reflects negatively on the department, but I think it’s important for the community to look at the department as a whole. It’s disappointing, but remember there are a lot of great employees working for this organization.”
The news outlet indicated that this brings the total number of resignations in the department over the last year to five, though these were the first criminal traffic offenses to cause said actions. According to eyewitnesses, both officers were visibly in violation of the law at the time of their arrests. The female suspect was said to have bloodshot eyes, and reportedly verbally admitted to being intoxicated.
Similarly, the male officer “appeared nervous” after he was pulled over, allegedly asking for a ticket when he was told to perform a roadside sobriety test. Further investigation found that his car contained official police equipment at the time of the incident. SWAT team gear and a loaded assault rifle were purportedly among the possessions found by responding officers.
However, in Colorado, all suspects are innocent until proven guilty, and they should seek out the services of a law firm in Denver to best defend their case. If you’ve been arrested and charged with a DUI or DWAI, call The Orr Law Firm for a team of seasoned, certified DUI lawyers.
