Colorado State Patrol: Trooper Drove Drunk On Duty
Colo. Trooper Allegedly Drove Cruiser Drunk: Internal Affairs News at Officer.com
Colorado Trooper Allegedly Drove Cruiser Drunk
Posted: Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Updated: March 23rd, 2010 11:54 AM EDT
By DAN ELLIOTT
Associated Press Writer
DENVER --
An on-duty Colorado state trooper was pulled over Monday and accused of driving drunk after several people called 911 to report a State Patrol vehicle driving erratically, authorities said.
Video captured by a television station helicopter showed the arrest of 48-year-old David Dolan, who was in uniform. Sheriff's deputies put handcuffs on him and placed him in the back of a patrol vehicle.
"Images like that tarnish our badges," said Col. James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, adding that he was devastated by the arrest.
Dolan, who authorities say was carrying a gun, was booked on charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of weapons. Colorado law makes it illegal for anyone to have a firearm while intoxicated.
The arrest happened about 7 a.m. on Colorado 470, a beltway around southwest Denver, the Douglas County Sheriff's Department said.
Dolan was placed on unpaid leave, and an internal investigation is under way, Wolfinbarger said.
Dolan was on his way from his home station in Colorado Springs to the State Patrol training academy in the west Denver suburb of Golden, Wolfinbarger said. He said he didn't know what business Dolan had at the academy.
A woman who answered the phone at a Colorado Springs number listed for Dolan declined to comment and hung up.
Dolan is a 21-year veteran of the State Patrol. Wolfinbarger declined to say whether Dolan had been commended or disciplined in the past, citing privacy rules.
Asked whether Dolan might be suffering from post-traumatic stress or other consequences of job stress, Wolfinbarger said, "This is a very difficult job.... There are clearly years of accumulated stress." He didn't elaborate.
After drivers called 911 to report the erratic patrol car, sheriff's dispatchers transferred the calls to the State Patrol. A few minutes later, the patrol asked the Sheriff's Department to help locate the car and check on the driver.
Wolfinbarger thanked the drivers who called 911.
"That helped keep a very bad situation from turning tragic," he said.
Click the link to read the full story, so funny.
Re: Colorado State Patrol: Trooper Drove Drunk On Duty
Re: Colorado State Patrol: Trooper Drove Drunk On Duty
Re: Colorado State Patrol: Trooper Drove Drunk On Duty
At least he got arrested and will probably be thrown off the police force.
It'd be interesting to know how many people this guy arrested for DUI?
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Re: Colorado State Patrol: Trooper Drove Drunk On Duty
Colorado Trooper Arrested for On-Duty DUI - PoliceLink
A comment from the above link:
(Before whoever it was runs their mouth about me being on that site like last time, I do have a legitimate reason for a login there, so save it please :cool:)
Quote:
- http://policelink.monster.com/themes...gif?1211591533
pondpirate
1 day ago
4 Comments
This guy needs our help and support. Nobody but him knows why he did what he did. He sacrificed 21 years of service to protect our state and I think it's complete BS for one problem like this to have an agency thrown him under the bus like they did. I would help this officer out any way I could and am still proud to have him helping to keep the highways safe here in Colorado. Shame on the news for throwing all this crap on him and talking all the trash they have. I mean how many Senators, Congressmen, Atheletes, Doctors, Teachers, and other professionals have been arrested for DUI?
I hope this officer gets the help and counseling that he needs.
Rodney Atkins song, "If you're going through hell" very much applies here...
"If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
He "sacrificed 21 years of service"... PUHLEASE
Nobody but a cop or politician could think and express themselves like this.
Can dish it out but not take it?
I would love to get the dashcam video from all the vehicles involved in this arrest. Has anyone done a FOIA on CSP before? I also want to see the dashcams of his last few DUI arrests too.
Just think, he will probably be the best Hotel Cop at the Broadmoor (if that is where he lives)
