You’re right. We have empowered police with a far greater responsibility. Our social contract with our police force grants an officer tremendous power within our communities. An officer can demand compliance to requests that if made by anyone else would result in angry retorts. Yet, we give them these powers in order to “protect and serve” the safety of the public. We also authorize (require) that they carry weapons, grant them the ability to violate traffic regulations, among many other powers – all in order to protect the public peace. What we ask (require) in exchange is an officer’s compliance with a strict code of ethics. And, if one of these rules is to abstain from ANY alcohol within 8-hours before driving a police vehicle – why would anyone be trying to defend an officer that has violated this very simple rule?

This is not an example of an average citizen who’s tipped one back before driving. It’s a case of an officer who has violated this inviolate contract. If this code of ethics is too strict, or there’s no built-in case for exegency, then ask (as a citizen) to have it changed. For me, I kind of enjoy being able to drink a few beers at Lucky 13 knowing that “my” police force has sworn to this rather strict code, in order to protect me & mine from those of us who get a little too rowdy.

Now to the case at point. Why did Interim Chief Tibbs feel obligated to drive, as opposed to having another officer at the party (whose shift was starting in less than eight hours and hadn’t imbibed) drive him to the scene? I have to think that more than his judgement was impared (if that’s even possible with one glass of wine), perhaps his ego got in the way. If I had a choice between being confronted by an armed police officer who had a glass of wine one hour before (and hadn’t driven), or one who believes his ego exempts him from the rules, I’ll take the former. Unfortunately, this incident presents a worse-case scenario – a chief of police who broke his oath (even though it may be a small infraction of that oath), and then refused to concede the point and ask for help from a fellow officer.

Doesn’t this sound like a familiar pattern of behavior? It seems like Chief Tibb’s actions were a reflection of a systemic problem throughout the Boise Police Department, something the Ombudsman’s report implies (an officer who acts before thinking, and who doesn’t ask his fellow officers for assistance). Fortunately, the report also makes some recommendations on how to address this problem. Lets hope the current Chief follows the Ombudsman’s suggestions – of course, the City Council can always mandate that the recommendations be implemented.

EDITOR NOTE–We have talked to Tibbs who offers this version of events:
He drank the glass of wine at home prior to getting in his private vehicle to go to the party. He was a few blocks from home when his pager alert sounded. He went back home, got his radio and city car to respond to the incident…forgetting of course about the previous glass of wine due to concern about the shooting incident.

What if there was, forbid the thought, a major catastrophe here in Boise? Would anyone care if a first responder had consumed a beer or a cocktail?

I for one would not give a darn. One glass of wine does not make someone drunk. Fer cryin’ out loud, the docs are saying it is good for the heart!! All the experience and training these folks get exceeds the influence of one drink.

Comparing pilots and cops is like comparing an apple to a phone. There are no similarities in the jobs.

EDITOR NOTE–There is no allegation of impairment or influence. The policy says NO alcohol within 8hrs. Airlines have similar rules.

(Besides, according to the data cop-types like to push, it takes about an hour for one glass of wine or one beer or one shot of booze to wear off.)