Cops who drink drive face sack
Posted: August 24th, 2011, 3:32 pmTASMANIAN police officers caught drink-driving face the sack under a raft of new disciplinary measures announced yesterday.
Deputy Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said the strict new rules reflected the community's higher expectations that police officers uphold the law.
Under the disciplinary framework, police officers face the sack if they:
Are caught with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.1 per cent (double the legal limit), while driving a police vehicle.
Are caught with a reading of 0.15 per cent (three times the legal limit), while driving a private vehicle.
Commit a second drink-driving offence.
A police officer found exceeding the 0.05 per cent legal limit, but under 0.1 per cent, would still face disciplinary action but would face dismissal only if it was a second offence.
A range of other options for discipline include demotion, reprimand and transfer.
Mr Tilyard said police had always faced disciplinary action for drink-driving, but the new rules ensured consistency throughout the state.
He said police needed to heed the drink-driving message more than the rest of the community.
Tasmania Police would not tolerate officers drink-driving, he said.
Public confidence in police was seriously undermined when officers committed such offences.
"While the number of officers detected drink driving is low, understandably community trust and confidence in police, and acceptance of the road safety message, is seriously undermined when an officer is detected committing these offences."
SRC: themercury.com.au
Deputy Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said the strict new rules reflected the community's higher expectations that police officers uphold the law.
Under the disciplinary framework, police officers face the sack if they:
Are caught with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.1 per cent (double the legal limit), while driving a police vehicle.
Are caught with a reading of 0.15 per cent (three times the legal limit), while driving a private vehicle.
Commit a second drink-driving offence.
A police officer found exceeding the 0.05 per cent legal limit, but under 0.1 per cent, would still face disciplinary action but would face dismissal only if it was a second offence.
A range of other options for discipline include demotion, reprimand and transfer.
Mr Tilyard said police had always faced disciplinary action for drink-driving, but the new rules ensured consistency throughout the state.
He said police needed to heed the drink-driving message more than the rest of the community.
Tasmania Police would not tolerate officers drink-driving, he said.
Public confidence in police was seriously undermined when officers committed such offences.
"While the number of officers detected drink driving is low, understandably community trust and confidence in police, and acceptance of the road safety message, is seriously undermined when an officer is detected committing these offences."
SRC: themercury.com.au