Well, this isn’t exactly reassuring news.
An unnamed West Vancouver police officer – whose name, rank, and gender can’t be revealed under the Police Act – has been given a slap on the wrist for arriving at work drunk… and then later driving away.
Back on March 30, 2014, the cop arrived for the shift smelling of liquor, according to a report from the Office of the Police Commissioner that was recently released (page 11). When another officer noticed the smell on the co-worker’s breath, their supervisor was immediately informed and the cop was ordered to take a breathalyzer test.
The reading came back between .05 and .16. As you may know (hopefully not from experience), that’s high enough for a potential 24-hour driving ban, but not to be criminally charged. As the department has a zero-tolerance policy for working officers, the supervisor began to file a report. At his point, the officer decided to drive away in their car while the supervisor’s back was turned.
Ballsy, right? Especially because it happened after the officer learned the results of the test.
A search was immediately launched, and the officer was eventually found outside of the vehicle. But because they were not caught behind the wheel, a 24-hour driving ban could not the invoked. The officer was ultimately given a written reprimand, along with a one-day unpaid suspension for driving home.
Oh, and they’re now back on duty.
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