Police Officer Charged With DUI After Crash Involving Cruiser -...

Hector wrote:

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But anyway, here's to your safe ending of your shift, here's to many more!

And I want to see officers (I am a citizen) end their shifts safely. It is not that I hate and/or disrespect, but they are going to have to come to Earth at some point.

The fact is, too much power has been given to enforcement and too many civil rights have been lost, as evidenced by the charades known as The War On Terror and Drugs.

Officers are recruited from population and I assure you, many are put on the street that have no business being there. But on the other hand, how many people in their right mind would want the job?

My problem is with the few that come onto a venue such as this and think they are the saviours of the American citizenry. This civilation is failing, and most police forces do not prevent that and in some cases actually encourage it.

Maryland State Trooper Charged With Growing Marijuana

Thursday , July 10, 2008

WOODSBORO, Md.—

A Maryland state trooper has been charged with manufacturing a controlled substance after police found a cultivated marijuana plant growing outside his home.

State Police spokesman Gregory Shipley says Trooper First Class Steven Spoonire was suspended without pay after his arrest Wednesday night. The 36-year-old trooper is a 16-year veteran road patrol officer, working out of Westminster.

Shipley says the plant, less than 2 feet tall, was found growing just outside the back door of a house in Woodsboro where Spoonire lives with his wife and two stepchildren. He says investigators also found marijuana seeds and drug paraphernalia inside the home.

Spoonire is also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance.

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story...

Here you go-

http://www.gazette.net/stories/10092008/montn...

" A Montgomery County Police officer who crashed his take-home cruiser on Interstate 270 on an early morning in May pleaded guilty last week to driving under the influence at the time.

In an Oct. 3 plea agreement, the state dropped two lesser drunk-driving charges and District Court Judge Stephen P. Johnson gave Officer John Distel, a first-time offender, the disposition of "probation before judgment" — meaning the DUI guilty plea will never appear on his permanent driving record if he meets all probation criteria for one year.

Montgomery County Police conducted the police investigation, involving alcohol and collision investigation units after Distel claimed he was a victim of a hit-and-run collision.

They charged Distel, who lives in Germantown and previously worked in the 6th District in Gaithersburg, with driving under the influence, driving under the influence per se, and driving while impaired, according to court records.

Johnson placed Distel on one year supervised probation, which means he must check in periodically with a parole and probation officer on a schedule determined by the county's Department of Corrections and is banned from drinking alcohol for one year. Distel had enrolled in and is completing alcohol treatment, Taylor said in court. Johnson also fined Distel $307.50, to be paid within 31 days and restored Distel's driver's license.

In May, Lt. Paul Starks, spokesman for county police, said that Distel would be handled in the legal system "like anyone else," but said department policy stipulates that once the court process is complete that the officer would likely face an internal investigation to determine administrative violations and his fate with the department."

Let's see, DUI, destroying County property (that means you get to pay for it) and uttering false statement to investigators (I was ran off road).

A PBJ and 300.00 fine and he returns to duty.

Return to duty. Maybe an internal affairs investigation, a dog and pony show.

You gotta love it.

Gary wrote:

Here you go-
http://www.gazette.net/stories/10092008/montn...
" A Montgomery County Police officer who crashed his take-home cruiser on Interstate 270 on an early morning in May pleaded guilty last week to driving under the influence at the time.
In an Oct. 3 plea agreement, the state dropped two lesser drunk-driving charges and District Court Judge Stephen P. Johnson gave Officer John Distel, a first-time offender, the disposition of "probation before judgment" — meaning the DUI guilty plea will never appear on his permanent driving record if he meets all probation criteria for one year.
Montgomery County Police conducted the police investigation, involving alcohol and collision investigation units after Distel claimed he was a victim of a hit-and-run collision.
They charged Distel, who lives in Germantown and previously worked in the 6th District in Gaithersburg, with driving under the influence, driving under the influence per se, and driving while impaired, according to court records.
Johnson placed Distel on one year supervised probation, which means he must check in periodically with a parole and probation officer on a schedule determined by the county's Department of Corrections and is banned from drinking alcohol for one year. Distel had enrolled in and is completing alcohol treatment, Taylor said in court. Johnson also fined Distel $307.50, to be paid within 31 days and restored Distel's driver's license.
In May, Lt. Paul Starks, spokesman for county police, said that Distel would be handled in the legal system "like anyone else," but said department policy stipulates that once the court process is complete that the officer would likely face an internal investigation to determine administrative violations and his fate with the department."
Let's see, DUI, destroying County property (that means you get to pay for it) and uttering false statement to investigators (I was ran off road).
A PBJ and 300.00 fine and he returns to duty.
Return to duty. Maybe an internal affairs investigation, a dog and pony show.
You gotta love it.

Well everyone wanted him treated the same way as a normal citizen and it looks like he was. Montgomery County Judges don't hold ANYONE responsible for ANYTHING.

Steve wrote:

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Well everyone wanted him treated the same way as a normal citizen and it looks like he was. Montgomery County Judges don't hold ANYONE responsible for ANYTHING.

This is true. First time DUI's with no injuries to other people are almost always PBJ's in MoCo. The key here is that he has to abstain from alcohol. He won't do that, especially near the end of the probation. SOMEONE needs to catch him drinking.

It's so frustrating for us, as officers, to have some POS like Distel STILL working here.

Fire his Azz

Instead, they'll give him a brand new 08 Charger because his "other" cruiser was wrecked. And he'll be driving that home on a DR-15a