Posted on 04/21/2019 7:50:02 AM PDT by L.A.Justice
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A series of DUI and other alcohol-related incidents involving drunk officers is raising attention at the Los Angeles Police Department.
Video obtained exclusively by Eyewitness News reveals the aftermath of a DUI arrest in Glendale last April -- LAPD Sergeant James Kelly blew a .28 on a breathalyzer test, that's four times the legal limit.
Commander Nicole Mehringer was a passenger in her city-owned vehicle and appears to be slumped down on the floor of the front seat. Kelly, who appears to be passed out, is at the wheel with his seat belt on.
Mehringer was detained that night and later charged with one misdemeanor count of public intoxication. Kelly was arrested and charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Mehringer was fired and is fighting to get her job back. Kelly was demoted one rank, but kept his job.
"It's embarrassing when you see members of our organization that are arrested for DUI," said LAPD Chief Michel Moore. "This last year, 18 individuals were arrested of a workforce of 13,000."
The incidents include Commander Jeff Nolte. Panicked motorists reported reckless driving to 911 dispatch. A tire had blown out, and he was driving on the rim.
He later abandoned the police-issued vehicle in Carson. Nolte was demoted to Captain, but allowed to keep his job.
Long Beach Police Department booked Sgt. Oscar Ontiveros for DUI after he struck two parked cars.
Officer Edgar Verduzco was charged with vehicular manslaughter after slamming into a family of three, killing them all.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he's discussed the problem of off-duty officer behavior with the police chief.
"Are they held to a higher standard? Yes. Because they have a badge and a gun, and we should expect them to be the examples of behavior," Garcetti said.
The department has an Alcohol Prevention Unit. Officers who have struggled with alcoholism have also reached out to fellow officers in need of help. Eyewitness News obtained an internal video in which they share their testimonials.
"I went to hell and back for 10, 11 years in this department struggling with the alcoholism issue," said one recovering officer. Moore said the department stresses awareness and prevention. But there is also the threat of discipline.
"Most embarrassing in this last year is that I've had two high-ranking officials that have engaged in this and the consequences will be severe," Moore said.
Some officers allege that there is a double standard in discipline. Mehringer is taking legal action, claiming gender bias.
She was terminated. Male officers kept their jobs.
LAPD reports six DUI-related arrests so far in 2019 and that overall, the numbers are down 50 percent from five years ago.
After getting fired, she is suing LAPD... http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3729656/posts
The driver, Sergeant Kelly, has been demoted to the officer rank... Maybe he should have been fired also?
It’s not America....... it’s Los Angeles
I know an LA detective. He is my neighbor at the marina. If I was one I’d drink too. ;)
In the real world; the one passed out behind the wheel would have been fired and prosecuted.
In the real world.
MY Mother was a stone alcoholic.
I lived with that for the first 24 years of my life.
She was a mean drunk & she finally actually drank herself to death-—before she was 57.
This isn’t Gender bias, officer. It is the result of your out of control behavior.
Was her initial ‘psych’ eval waived?
If they can’t do their job and or find it too stressful to handle unless they’re drunk, they ought to find other jobs.
Btw, this token skank being a, “Commander” really tells the story of how LAPD has deteriorated over the past several decades.
My comment would be similar. When you flood the area with illegals, do away with cash bail, and de-criminalize property crimes below a certain threshold what becomes the point anymore? You could go after the gangs if you want your family targeted, or you could go after the well connected for their bad deeds if you want to see them walk in some patronage deal. So better to collect your pay and drink yourself to death.
That stare in post #4 could be described at the “psychopathic stare” (looking right through you, looking at you as ‘game’ and not as another person.)
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3743576/posts?page=4#4
I know an LA detective. He is my neighbor at the marina. If I was one Id drink too. ;)
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I think you once stated that you live in City of Ventura...
I guess an LAPD officer could commute from Ventura to his work...Maybe San Fernando Valley...
I doubt that your LAPD neighbor works in the San Pedro area...San Pedro is a long commute from Ventura...
MY Mother was a stone alcoholic.
I lived with that for the first 24 years of my life.
She was a mean drunk & she finally actually drank herself to death-before she was 57.
This isnt Gender bias, officer. It is the result of your out of control behavior.
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Ex-Commander Nicole Mehringer is 47 years old...She apparently drank wine in the unmarked police car...A wine bottle was found in the back seat...
If they cant do their job and or find it too stressful to handle unless theyre drunk, they ought to find other jobs.
Btw, this token skank being a, Commander really tells the story of how LAPD has deteriorated over the past several decades.
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She was once a captain who supervised LAPD patrol officers on Venice Beach...
I think her rank hurt her in this case...I am not sure that the LAPD board would recommend firing her if she were only a sergeant, not a commander...
I think LAPD management wanted to show how tough it is on discipline...Her getting fired is supposed to be an example of LAPD being tough on officers who are in trouble...
By the way, James Kelly,the driver of the unmarked police car, was not fired...He got demoted from police sergeant to police officer...I guess he will be taking a pay cut...He may have to work patrol again...As a sergeant, he worked in the employee relations unit of LAPD...
I never said he works in San Pedro. He used to work for the city out of the Parker Center annex. He moved to the LA Sheriffs department and works out of Marina Del Rey/Venice now. Everyone that lives in Ventura or Los Angeles county commutes somewhere.
I have another neighbor who does CGI for the studios and commutes. Another one that does graphics for Easy Rider magazine and commutes. Im not even sure where their headquarters are.
When my brother worked for Hershey in Los Angeles he commuted from Bakersfield.
Everyone commutes.
Speaking of Parker Center, I was young and met Chief Parker in an elevator at Parker Center before it was Parker Center. He took us up to his office on the 8th floor or top floor if I recall, and we sat there and talked, he asked us about ourselves and then started showing us memorabilia he came across over his time. He pointed at the name plate on his desk with his name shown with “Los Angles Police Department” underneath. He got it from some country who’s dignitaries had visited LA, I don’t recall which country, but they’d spelled Los Angeles wrong. I’ll still remember him pointing at it with a big smile.
A Commander should know better. A sergeant not so much. That’s why they’re a sergeant and not a commander. Btw, I think she has multiple law suits against them pending. Not sure.
Cool story. I actually, kind of, sort of grew up in old LA and love LA history. It was a great town. My stepdad was a pro bowler and so we were always around town at bowling tournaments. I actually went to the Brown Derby with them for a minute after a tournament one night. Long enough for the babysitter to pick me up. lol
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