The Boulder Police Officer in charge of enforcing Driving Under the Influence charges (C.R.S. 42-4-1301) was arrested in Thornton for a DUI / DWAI this week. She is the second Boulder police officer to face charges of drunk driving this month. The other officer tried to use his influence as a cop to avoid charges. He was also charged with Prohibited Use of Weapons (C.R.S. 18-12-106) because he possessed a firearm while intoxicated.
Ironically, the female officer was Boulder Police Department’s only officer dedicated solely to DUI enforcement. In Colorado jurisdictions such as Boulder, Denver, and Adams County, Driving Under the Influence is a traffic misdemeanor. Penalties for being convicted of DUI / DWAI depend largely on a person’s blood alcohol content and any past alcohol driving convictions.
In addition to the criminal penalties imposed by the Arapahoe, Douglas or Broomfield County Courts, the licensing consequences through the DMV can be equally severe and cause a person to lose their license for years.
While law enforcement officers and District Attorneys are notorious for giving each other special treatment, we can only hope that these police officers are held to the same standard to which they hold the rest of us.
If you are contacted by the police on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you may want to be overly cooperative. However, remember that roadside maneuvers are VOLUNTARY and that police will try to use anything you do or say against you in court. If you are facing DUI / DWAI charges, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney to fight for you. So, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and call the O’Malley Law Office today at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.