Whenever there is an incident involving a police officer, the officers called to the scene or who are witnesses to the incident must treat that officer as they would anyone else. Any officer who is on the receiving end of any police action has the same exact rights as anyone else who is charged with a crime. Recently, in Indiana, a police officer was arrested for drunk driving and has since pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The incident involved a 27-year-old who has been on the police force for five years. The man was not on duty at the time, but he allegedly drove his Camaro over the concrete part of a traffic circle and then hit a pole. He was subjected to a breath test, which said he had a blood alcohol content of .13. This is above the legal limit of .08 in Indiana.
He has since been suspended from the police force without any pay until an investigation is complete. The same officer was arrested for drunk driving almost two years ago. At that time, he had been pulled over for speeding and also failed field sobriety tests just as he did this time. After that incident, he was suspended for 30 days.
Whenever a person faces drunk driving charges in Indiana, any subsequent drunk driving convictions can affect the possible penalties of an additional conviction. Having more than one conviction can lead to higher fines and a longer time without a license. For those who need a driver’s license for work, such as the police officer in this case, having a suspended license can potentially affect that person’s ability to do his or her job. Anyone arrested for drunk driving may want to inquire as to the timeframe of a possible license suspension and how it may impact his or her job in general.