A police officer from a North Carolina beach town has quit his job after being arrested for drunk driving. The man, who the police chief named as one of his top officers, was stopped on July 13. He allegedly blew a 0.08 on a breath test, which is the legal limit for blood alcohol content in North Carolina. The man had been coming home from a party when he was stopped at a check point, according to official reports.
The chief said the department is saddened that the man had to quit his job because of the charges. The chief said the officer had helped institute new policies that changed the way the department functioned.
The chief said the department has rules to regarding alcohol consumption. Some people disregard the rules, said the chief, and they are forced to resign because of their choices. It's unknown if the man was pressured into resigning or if he made the decision on his own. The man has in no way been proven guilty yet, which calls into question why he would quit his job so quickly.
He is due back in court in September.
The man in this case blew only a 0.08, which is exactly the legal limit in North Carolina, and he was still considered impaired. Sometimes, people who have a blood alcohol content below the legal limit can be detained and charged because they fail field sobriety tests. Even with a relatively low level of alcohol in your system, you can be held on suspicion of drunk driving. Such charges could ultimately cost you your job if you are unable to clear your name.
Source: WWAY3, "Wrightsville Beach cop quits after DWI arrest," staff reports, July 17, 2012
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