Last month, we noted that several officers in the Seattle Police Department had been accused earlier this year of violating the department's arrest-screening policy after it was discovered that they had been certifying DUI arrests without obtaining the approval of their supervisor.

Investigation into rubber-stamp DUIs matter, according to the Seattle Times, has revealed that one of the sergeants involved in the mishandling of DUI cases left work early on many occasions and that he came into work under the influence of medications that may have impaired his judgment.

According to sources, the sergeant had been dealing with gout and a family illness, and he has admitted to taking up to four prescription medications without notifying his commanders that he was unable to safely operate a vehicle or come into work.

The Seattle Police Department, on investigating the matter, found that the sergeant was in violation of department policies concerning honesty, supervisory responsibilities, insubordination, absence from duty, illness and injury, and taking medication while on duty. According to sources, there were problems with the officer even before the rubber-stamped DUI investigation began in March.

As we mentioned in a previous post, the allegations of mishandling DUI cases were eventually dropped when it was discovered that the practice had been going on in the police department for as many as 25 years and that the officers involved had obtained approval of their arrests from superiors. The sergeant was one of them.

The three officers involved in the mishandled DUI cases ended up receiving supervisory counseling and training reminding them to follow the department's policy and to question the direction of a superior which is contrary to that policy, but they were eventually cleared of the allegations.

Source: Seattle Times, "Rubber-stamp DUIs: Sergeant left work early, on medication," Steve Miletich, Oct 11, 2011.